


Autumn Ends

by Notorious_PAT



Series: Autumn Leaves Trilogy [2]
Category: Digimon Tamers
Genre: Angst, Death, Developing Relationship, Drama & Romance, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Established Relationship, F/M, Fate & Destiny, Female Friendship, Heartache, Minor Character Death, POV Female Character, References to Depression, Relationship Issues, Sad and Happy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-01
Updated: 2020-12-11
Packaged: 2021-03-09 04:22:21
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 18
Words: 111,674
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27328750
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Notorious_PAT/pseuds/Notorious_PAT
Summary: Another Autumn comes and Rika can't help but feel like it represents a death, of sorts. As the Tamers reckon with the aftermath of their summer trip to the Digital World, and life in high school, they find their lives drifting apart. Fate, however, has a different plan. (Third and final piece of Autumn Leaves Trilogy)
Relationships: Makino Ruki | Rika Nonaka/Matsuda Takato | Takato Matsuki
Series: Autumn Leaves Trilogy [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1985266
Comments: 6
Kudos: 1





	1. Happy and Together

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Part of the journey is the end. Love and be loved. Read… and review!

#  **Happy and Together**

The leaves in Autumn are beautiful, with their colors. 

It’s something wonderful; knowing every year they will come, without fail. The colors are beautiful. The routine is beautiful. The normalcy is beautiful. Every fall, they will come, signifying the death of summer, the fading of the light, that winter is coming, and the early precursors of the eventual spring. It’s cyclical. It’s science. It’s mother nature. It comes, not stopped by time. It comes, not stopped by man. It comes, every time. You can count on it. You can rely on it. That makes it beautiful. Everything is beautiful. Most of all, the leaves in autumn are beautiful.

A small red haired girl runs towards a park bench. She stops a few feet away and looks directly at the girl sitting at it. _'It is not polite to stare.'_ Her mother's words come to mind but she can not help herself. She so rarely sees anyone with the same shade of hair as her. She looks on for too long. The teenager turns her attention away from a tree and looks directly at her. Her lips curve and she speaks.

"Hello there, little one!"

The 'little one' feels paralyzed and her mouth opens. She wants to say hello, but again her mother's words creep into mind.  _ 'Never talk to strangers!'  _ This time, she will obey the voice in her head. She lets out a yelp as she turns and breaks the eye contact. She starts running away, as fast as she came. As she starts, though, something shining on the ground catches her eye a few feet away and she redirects towards it.

Discouraged, the teenager watches the little girl wander off in a hurry.  _ 'Of course.  _ 'Stranger Danger _.' I'd do the same thing. At her age or at my own.' _ She watches with amusement as the child is distracted by shiny objects on the ground. She briefly wonders about what kind of mother would let their little one just wander off on her own. She wonders about the dangers of being a child in this world. She would never put herself or a child in danger like this, running off into the woods, all alone. 

_ 'I am never having kids. There's already too much pain in this world.' _

Rika Nonaka sits on a bench in the Shinjuku Central Park. This spot has become a favorite of hers over the summer months. It's not quite halfway between her home and Takato's family’s bakery, but it's almost. The large oak tree above her has a heart carved into it with the letters "D + E" marked right in the center of it. It's hard to discern it when the shadows hit it at the wrong angle, but Rika sees it clearly all the same. She used to find herself wondering who the D and E were, but she'd given up trying to figure it out as of late. The tree still has most of its leaves, but some have fallen. It stands tall and proud, unfazed by the changing season that approaches. Rika hopes she can be like the tree as she prepares to enter a new world in the coming weeks.

_ 'About time to get going. Don't want to be late.' _

Rika stands up. She surveys all around her. The fading light breaking through the trees, the birds chirping all around. She feels her t-shirt sticking to her skin from the heat. She wears a white "Digital Monsters" t-shirt with azure colored font, and a matching skort. She likes the freedom it provides her to run if she needs to, while still looking "presentable." She wants to look nice for dinner tonight, but doesn't see the point of sacrificing her own comfort for that.

As she moves forward, the little girl with her own head of red hair, cautiously steps ahead of her. The 'little one' peeks over her shoulder, sees the taller teenager towering over her, and hurriedly moves ahead. Rika slows her walk to a crawl. The last thing she wants is people thinking she’s following this little girl, the way the girl seems to think Rika is doing. The tiny human gets further and further ahead of Rika, but Rika's pace does not change. She finds the slow trot to be more enjoyable. She begins to look around more and take in the sights of the setting sun.

She notices some florals and foliage growing along the sidewalk and thinks that it is basking in the shadows after a long day of following the sun. Over the summer, her grandmother had spent some time with Rika teaching her to grow flowers in the garden in their backyard. Rika was rather proud of what she had been able to grow thus far. A growing pile of flowers, just outside her back porch.  _ 'You've got the Nonaka Instinct. Your mother has it, too, I'm sure. But she's had other interests.' _ That's what GrandMa had said to her when the flowers first started coming in.

Rika walks on and breathes in the summer air. The little girl is just about gone at this point, but nothing changes for Rika. Each step is deliberate, full of concentration and reflection. The summer fades and autumn calls to her. She feels it pulling at her, an invisible rope lassoed around her, dragging her back. The last year of her life has been a whirlwind. Since last autumn, so much has changed. 

_ 'Gosh, it feels like a thousand years ago. I pulled Takato out of that rainstorm, opened myself to change, and realized I loved him.' _

She passes a stairwell that leads up to an abandoned, gated, small building. She does not break stride, but smiles at the memory.

_ 'We went back and fought and died. Then we came back and I thought we had won. But it was just another fight. It feels like there's always another fight.' _

Rika had feared it would happen. She hadn’t wanted to admit it, but she thought about it. She still thinks about it. She thinks about the adventures and the fun. The important lessons she's learned about and from her friends. It all hurts now, knowing how it ends.

_ ‘Friends? Is that what we all are still?’ _

The sun breaks through the skyline. It blinds her view, so Rika brings her hand up above her head to block it out. She looks through the gaps in her fingers at the golden beams, which erupt from the outline. 

To Rika, it almost feels like time is repeating itself. Everything that happened after the D Reaper had happened again. Every one drifted off, into their own stream.  _ 'Well, not everything repeated.'  _ Takato is still at her side. He is still hers. But she had once wondered, soon after they returned, about something. She had questioned how long their friends could keep going on before they felt they lost a part of themselves to it all. 

The answer came with time.

Rika tries to not think about it. The memories don't taste right in her mouth. Something is off about them. She wants to enjoy it. She wants to revel in nostalgia. But now it’s a poison in the well, one she keeps returning to, hoping this time it will be different. Even the memories of Renamon have begun to sour on her. She tries to not think about it.

Rika's eyes move to the pavement. The walkway bathes in an orange-golden hue. It's a saturated brightness to her. It doesn't hurt her eyes but she can't look at it either so she looks down instead. Everything in front of her, as far as she can see, is pale ember flame laid bare across the land. Rika tries to appreciate this moment.  _ 'Take it all in.'  _ Rika tries to be right here, right now. The view before her is one that no artist could recreate in a lifetime. There is nothing in her life like this moment. The only thing that will make it better is knowing that in the coming months the leaves will fall like pieces into place. She can picture it all, even now.

Autumn approaches again. Autumn leaves are coming. Will it be different this time? How will her life be shaped by the falling leaves and the changing seasons? What part of her life will she cast out? What will she bury? What will she grow? What part of her life will be reaped away by time, and growth, and autumn leaves?

Through the golden light, a shadow approaches her. She looks up and it looms larger and larger. The sun blinds her again and she once more raises her hand to block it out. Even as such she welcomes the shadow. It speaks to her first.

"Hey there, GrandMa. You ready for this?"

"GrandMa?"

"Well you took your sweet, old time," the younger boy says as he comes to a stop in front of her. "I saw you walking, waiting for the leaves to fall."

Rika does not respond, but instead uses another moment to herself. They had met at the outdoor water fountain. It was not exactly halfway, ever so slightly closer to his home than hers, as she was oft to remind him. The water spurts several feet above their heads, with a large step up to prevent children from running right into it, but there are always those, young and old, dumb enough to step up and look into the water. It's a wishing well of sorts as people from all over toss their loose change in and hope for their wildest dreams to come true.

She takes in the kingdom of light all around her. There are people all over the park. Rarely is it ever empty, and on a beautiful late July day like today, it is perfect for some outdoor fun. It is blazing and bright and alive. It's picturesque and she wants to take this moment and put it away, fold it in on itself over and over again until it's so small it fits in her pocket and she can take it everywhere with her.

She looks back at the teenager standing in front of her. She smiles at him, at the very sight of him, really, but he doesn't smile back. Despite all of the beauty of God's creation sitting under their noses, he doesn't even produce a smirk. 

"Come on, we’d better not be late."

As Rika begins to turn around a hint of red catches her eye. She pauses and her eyes wander for a second. She finds the small child from before again. The child leans against the fountain, trying to peep over the edge and into the water. A short brunette, barely taller than Rika, maybe her mother or older sister, stands next to the girl and hands her a coin to toss.

Rika turns around and begins walking away. The boy steps to catch up and is next to her in no time. As they head back the way she came, their shadows stretch out before them. The sun is behind them now, no longer blinding Rika, but instead at her back.

"What's on the menu for tonight?" 

Rika remembers from earlier discussions and she gets a boost for the moment. "GrandMa is making your favorite."

"Oh! Is it-"

"The Okonomiyaki."

"And is she-"

"Just the way you like it."

No response comes and Rika is surprised. She looks up at him, but he still doesn't say anything. "Takato?"

He stops staring out to space and finally cracks a smirk. "Sorry, now I'm daydreaming about dinner and how I'm going to tell your GrandMa how much she means to me."

"Is that so, huh?"

"I think if we ever broke up, I'd need to get your GrandMa in the settlement. You can have my parents, your Mom, everything I own. I don't care, I don't need it. As long as I have your GrandMa and her Okonomiyaki, I'll be the happiest person in the world."

Rika tries to not smile at this and just shakes her head at her boyfriend. The response rises to her lips. "That's too bad, because if we ever broke up, I'm taking your parents, my Mom, everything you own,  _ and  _ I'm keeping my GrandMa."

"So I get nothing? You'd leave me for dead, just like that?" he retorts.

" _ If  _ we ever broke up, you'll only wish you were dead."

They both laugh at this. The smile lingers on Rika's face. As they slowly walk they pass by the tree with the heart carving. The bench she sat at now hosts an older couple. They walk on a while without saying anything, passing the D+E tree and moving onward through the park. The younger pair are quiet as they look around. Rika briefly wonders if they'll sit together under trees with heart carvings and lovers' initials written some day, when they are older like the couple. Perhaps even one someday with the letters T and R marked on it. Takato is the first to break the silence.

"I, umm, I'm not doing any better than yesterday."

The smile on Rika's face evaporates. "Same dream?"

"Same dream," he replies solemnly.

Rika furrows her brow at him. "Was it the alley or a bus or…"

"Both. I think? I couldn't move to him, which was new. My feet were stuck in, like, quicksand this time. It felt like I was sinking and..." He trails off, looking away.

This was Rika's latest fight. The Darkness took a part of Takato, and now she felt it was up to her to get it back. Somehow. _'He won, but we all lost.'_ Rika is not afforded the luxury of beating herself up over what happened. It's not so simple to just talk about their issues, for some reason. Communicating has been harder lately. As she saw it, her job now is to repair the broken parts so Takato could return to his old self.

"Hey, who knows? Maybe it means something, maybe it means nothing. But we all have a bunch of dreams that mean nothing. And remember the first time you saw me in your dream? Those were better times, right?"

Takato finally looks back into her lilac eyes. He looks worn and tired. She smiles big, hoping to inspire him. "I'm your Dream Girl, remember?"

Rika pangs at the awkwardness, but does not relent. Takato holds their eye contact for another second. He forces a smile for a moment, but it disappears so quickly that Rika isn't sure it was ever even there. 

They both turn and face forward without saying a word. Rika thinks that they are happy and they are together. 

_ 'But are we happy together?' _

* * *

They've been together countless times over the last few months. They've had so much free time on their hands, and yet today, now, is the first time they have finally worked up the courage to discuss what had happened to them. It was a dead weight in their stomachs until now. A moment frozen in time, in their memories, that would not leave them. Neither one wanted to be the one to bring it up, and the pain was too real to confront it alone.

In a bizarre twist of fate, they were learning right now that it is easier to talk about their shared trauma than it is to talk about anything else. Their fight against The Darkness, their polar opposite sides of it, made for interesting, literal 'war' stories. The young man sitting at the dining room table pushes his glasses up the bridge of his nose, "The first time was so different."

"I know what you mean."

Kenta leans back from the table and looks out at the yellow and orange skyline through a small, open window in the kitchen, "We got our butts kicked earlier this summer."

"Not what I was going to say," the blue haired boy says bluntly. He stands at the kitchen sink, cleaning the last of the dishes. "When the D Reaper happened, the entire world saw it. Cameras, the military, everything. But with… this summer. It just. It was different."

" _ We _ didn't even know how much we were sharing it. We were all isolated. Which made it harder. And then he…" But the young boy stops. A tense moment hangs over them.

"I miss him," Henry Wong says, hoping to bridge the silent gap between the two. Talking about it had come easier than expected.  _ 'It hurts, but sharing the pain isn't so bad.' _

"I miss him so much. I don't know who I am without him. Or who I've been." A proverbial cloud begins to form over Kenta as the emotions take hold.

"How do you mean?" Henry asks, as he dries the important pots his mother will need to cook dinner later.

Kenta stares out the window. The air conditioning is off to save money so the window is open in the hopes of supplying some fresh air. He lifts up the paperback book he's been carrying all day and holds it up to eye level to block out the sun. "I feel like I need to act different now because people act different around me. People smile to my face, but then I think they talk behind my back."

"Yeah, I think that happens to me too. It's just… I don't know," Henry starts but pauses. "And I don't know what to say to them when I think it's happening."

"Why don't you just judo chop them in the face?"

"Not sure that would send the right message."

Kenta smiles, "Actually, I think it would send exactly the right message."

The two teenagers laugh about this for a moment. Their voices bounce around the Wong apartment. Henry's parents and siblings are out and about, enjoying what may be the last gasp of the summer, while the boys work to finish their summer reading assignment before high school begins in a few weeks.

Kenta lets the worry overtake him again, and he can't stop the words before they're out, "I don't know what they want out of me, or how to give it to them."

Henry dries the last dish and turns to his friend. He could sense the cloud hanging over Kenta's head. He tries to search for the right things to tell Kenta to help sooth the pain. The right dosage to assuage him. After searching the recesses of his mind, he feels that honesty is best. "I don't know what to tell you, Kenta. We did everything we could, we  _ do  _ everything we can, every day. We keep going on. It's all we can do."

Nothing is said in response. After giving it a moment to sink in Henry says, "C'mon, let's go finish working on the paper in my room."

Kenta stands, novel in hand, and they both move towards the corridor to Henry's bedroom. Kenta still wears the look of worry on his face. He stops in his tracks, and Henry stops short of walking into him. They both look out the hallway window at the orange-red sky, as the sun descends. They contemplate their lives and the moments that led them to this. 

They think about the fun they used to have and how it is gone. They remember middle school and all of their friends. They remember card games. They remember partners who would laugh with them. They remember all of these things before everything changed. Not this summer. Before. Before digimon began showing up. When it was just they're favorite show and card game. The memories are clear as daylight. The memories are more real to them in this moment than the sunset they are watching.

A cool breeze slips in through the kitchen window. It snakes its way in behind the young boys. It raises the hair on the back of their necks. Henry reaches up to feel it. The air conditioning is off, and the breeze is far too cold for this late in the summer.

Kenta looks down at his book,  _ The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe _ . He lets out an audible groan and hangs his head. "Ugh, this stupid book, keeping us inside."

Henry is pulled back into the moment, away from the cool breeze and sunset views. He shakes his head without comment at how Kenta bemoans their assignment and how incredulous he is acting. "Yeah, we dug our own grave waiting this long to do it. Now we've got to lie in it."

"Who even cares about this book? Not like it's going to help me later in life, anyway!"

"It might. Maybe you need some English help with all your computer tinkering."

"At least messing with computers is fun. Reading this book for  _ meaning _ is definitely not fun."

It even surprises Henry at this point. In short order, Kenta had eclipsed himself as the local 'computer whiz' among their friend group. As was the case through most of their schooling, Henry was the more studious one and thus had a better grasp on both the assignment itself and the underlying point of it. He tries to relay the overarching point to his friend, "They spend most of the story apart, but they're stronger  _ together _ . It's hard for them to see that at times, but it's true."

Henry briefly thinks there may be a lesson in that. 

Kenta groans again as he walks into the room. Henry stays another moment out in the hallway. He reaches up and feels the hairs on his neck standing up. He turns his head and looks behind him at a hallway bathed in gold. The cool breeze is gone.  _ 'Must have imagined it.' _ He slips into his bedroom to help Kenta finish their assignment.

* * *

Like undisturbed songbirds finally home in the spring, the dining room is filled with noise from so many sources that Takato isn't sure who is speaking to whom. A rare occasion if there ever was one, conversation fills the entire Nonaka household. There were so many excellent restaurants around town that a night eating-in for either family was uncommon. Yet here they all are, sitting around the table, indulging in GrandMa Nonaka's famous okonomiyaki. The lights are low, the voices are loud, and their hearts are full.

"We don't do this enough!" Rumiko says above all others. Everyone looks around at each other and smiles in warm agreement.

"We really should try to see each other all more often," Takehiro Matsuki chimes in, his grin from cheek to cheek.

The three parents had been partaking in some 'beverages' of sorts with dinner, and the effects are beginning to show. Rika holds a demeanor of quiet bemusement. She observes everything and keeps tabs on it all. Something her Grandmother had taught her at a young age. The brashness of needing to confront others came from some mix of her parents, but at this exact moment, she is completely fine with staying out of center stage. 

"So Rika, are you excited to start at Tsukishima General?" Yoshie Matsuki asks suddenly, turning her attention to the young girl.

Takato stifles a chuckle as he watches Rika, caught off guard and unprepared to answer the question. She opens her mouth to reply but the thoughts never leave her head. After another moment Rumiko jumps in, "Of course she's excited! It's going to be important for her college aspirations."

"Takato's going to have to survive without her in school for a few more years at Shinjuku High," Mr. Matsuki continues. "Maybe they'll finally end up at the same place together in University!" 

Quickly the topic changes, and while Rika had other thoughts and things to say, it's best to just let her mother go here. This is her mother, truly in her element: socially engaging with other people. ' _ We really  _ should _ do this more often. _ '

"-and this couple, both got engagement rings for each other! And both planned to propose at the same time! How incredible is that?" Rumiko exclaims.

"That's such a lovely story. I'm glad the news is sharing some good things for a change," Ms. Matsuki says. "I can't watch it anymore, it's all just so sad. I saw a story about a religious building being bombed on a sacred holiday and I said enough was enough. So many people, young people, died. And it's the only thing they cover! Only thing they talk about."

She stops as tears well up in her eyes. Takehiro puts his hand on her knee and offers a comforting look. He looks back around the table, focusing mainly on Rumiko and Seiko, with a worn face. "We're just all on edge because Yoshie's sister is in the hospital right now."

Rika had heard some things about this but Takato was scarce on the details regarding his aunt. Takato was tightlipped about it because he doesn’t fully understand, nor does he know this aunt very well. Rika turns to Takato to offer her own comforting look, but he averts his eyes. 

GrandMa Nonaka jumps in, "That's very sad news to hear. We're very sorry that's happening. Is there anything we can do?"

No one says anything as Ms. Matsuki quietly sheds a tear. She takes a deep breath, collects herself and says, "No, no, thank you, but no. We just have to hope she can hold on until they figure out what's wrong."

Rumiko frowns. "They don't even know what's going on?"

Mr. Matsuki simply shakes his head.

After a moment, Ms. Matsuki looks up and makes direct eye contact with Rika from across the table. Rika holds the gaze, watching the older woman’s eyes as they swim through pain and heartache. "You two…" She pauses. ' _ We two what? We  _ what _? _ ' Rika's mind rapidfires and fills in the blanks of what will come next.

"...are just so," but again she stops as she looks around the table and a small, broken smile begins to form. Her voice cracks as she says, "We're all just very lucky."

Her words take root at the table. A moment of reflection blossoms. Takato speaks, "Yeah, we are very lucky. We're lucky to be alive." He turns to Rika. "And lucky to have one another."

He tries to be uplifting, but there is no emotion in his voice. Nonetheless the adults smile at one another as the silver lining grows. Rika knew Takato better than that, though. ' _ He doesn't sound like he feels lucky to be alive. _ '

* * *

_ 'I feel so lucky to be alive!' _

Shinjuku Central Park is humming with the sounds of a summer night. Crickets chirp, children chase each other, and laughter fills the air. A short brunette girl walks alone, quietly drinking it all up. Being around it all brings great happiness to her heart. She wears a hunter green athletic skirt and a white short sleeve shirt. She uses this time to clear her mind and think about her life. Dr. Scott had suggested nighttime walks in public places, with lots of people around, to help her get to sleep at night. It has been a few weeks now and it was really helping. 

At first, her father had scoffed at the idea. He had already been weary about trusting her after what she’d pulled at the start of the summer. And after  _ everything _ that had happened, it was understandable that he’d be skeptical, to say the least. She has surprisingly earned that trust back over the last couple of months. 

' _ Actions speak louder than words.' _

Jeri Katou almost skips with each step she takes. She is lucky to be outside, enjoying the world, lucky that her father trusts her again, lucky to be alive at all. Her head bobs around as she looks at all of the people, enjoying the dying embers of their summer time. She thinks about how these people, all of them, they all have their own lives. What an absolutely amazing world she lives in. She found it simply incredible that these strangers all have experiences and adventures and struggles and redemptions and friendships, all equally as complex as her own. 

To say life has been 'complex' felt like selling it short. Her life has changed so much in just a year. Not even a year ago, in this very park, she had met Takato on a weekend and told him that he was her best 'just' friend. That set him on a path towards Rika, and then all of them on a path to the digital world. And for Kazu, it was a path to the end.

_ 'Maybe it's my fault he's dead? Maybe things would have been different if I had just-' _

Jeri stops herself while she is ahead. Dr. Scott has spent too much time with her, telling her to be careful not to put stock in this voice in her head; telling her she is bad or everything is her fault. Kazu's death is not her fault. Her friends all drifting apart is not her fault. She ‘should not bear the burden alone’ as she has been told.

As Jeri passes the picturesque water fountain, she watches a young boy close his eyes and toss a coin into its pool. He wishes for something in his life to be different. Jeri thinks about how much of her own life is different now. A year ago it was fairly normal to meet Takato in the park on the weekend. If he called her today and asked her to meet him, she would be very concerned. Doubly so if she ever ran into Rika in the park! 

She has not seen either of them in some time. Nor Henry. Nor Kenta.' _ Maybe it's my own fault?'  _ came the voice. ' _ Or maybe you're just making excuses,'  _ came an opposing voice. 

Everyone is doing different things now and moving on. They'll all mostly be going to the same high school soon, but it will be a much bigger pond for them to swim in, and Jeri thinks they will all move on.

' _ And that's okay. Part of going on all of our adventures together meant that it all had to end eventually. In order for new stories to start, the old ones must die.' _

Jeri passes the tree with the heart carving, indicating that she's about halfway through the park now. She thinks about her friends and all they had been through together. She wants what is best for them, even if what is best for them does not include herself. She is sad to see everyone drift off, sad for what happened this summer with The Darkness and everything else before. Everything that had happened to her. But she has learned to not blame anyone, least of all herself. They had survived and that is her focus.

' _ We are breathing, so we have to live on. For Kazu. _ '

She rounds a corner and all of the overhead lights throughout the park begin to illuminate the dark. She takes in all of the sights and sounds of the summer, and smiles widely. She is lucky to be alive.

* * *

"It's not about just being  _ the best _ , it's about being  _ the only one _ ." 

"I just don't think you have anything left to prove at this point, I mean they already call you the Queen."

"Yeah, well this Queen never killed the Bishop and it's been years so this is my chance to finally settle the score."

Dinner has been over for a while now, and the teenagers have retreated away from their parents. Rumiko started on about some of her travels as an international model, and Yoshie and Takehiro were completely consumed by the fascinating lands and places she has been. This supplied the perfect cover for the young lovers to be alone and enjoy each other's company.

They slowly retrace their steps again and again around the garden outside of Rika's room. It's a 10 foot by 10 foot collection of foliage and assorted flowers, with a path cut straight across. Rika has been working on this space with her GrandMa since their return from the digital world and it means so much to her to have seen some things bloom and grow in such a short period of time. 

"Seriously. I don't want to be remembered as just 'really good' or 'one of the best.'"

"Of course."

"I want to be remembered as  _ the one _ ."

"And you will."

"I want to be the measuring stick that people are compared to. Like, in 70 years I want people to be like, 'they're good, but are they _ Rika Nonaka  _ good?'"

"I already think that  _ every _ day. It will be good for everyone else to finally get on board."

Rika plainly ignores his joke and keeps going. "I can't lose to him. Not again. I got embarrassed at the DCT three years ago and this is my first chance to finally redeem myself."

"At poor little Mr. Omu's card shop. Who knew you'd have to attend a funeral right after this regional tournament?"

They turn the corner and make their way back towards a patch of tulips that Rika particularly enjoys. The moonlight falls perfectly onto their path. The view placates Rika; it cools the burning rage within. Deep inside she feels the coals burning still, but at this moment she tries to not breathe fire on Takato.

"When is the tournament again?" he asks.

Rika tries to bank through her memory of the date for a moment but can't pull it from her mind immediately. "I don't remember exactly, next weekend I think? Maybe Saturday?"

"Okay. Well, I, uh, okay." He stumbles over his words. 

"What? What is it?" she asks.

"Well, we're talking about going to see my aunt next Friday night, so if it's possible, you know, if you're okay with it, I'd love it if you could come with me?"

Rika steals a sideways look at Takato. These days, Rika spends most of her time thinking about Takato. His affliction. Since the moment they stepped off that ark, he has not been the same. The light has left him, and Rika feels it is her responsibility to get it back. ' _ He's a candle in the abyss. I have to keep him safe, because any rush of wind could snuff him out. _ '

"Absolutely, Takato. I will absolutely be there."

He smiles at this. A real smile. A genuine, happy moment. Seeing him be happy again has Rika practically levitating off the ground. They round back again, walking in circles around and through her little garden.

"Awesome! Thank you. Oh, and," he pauses to inhale and then starts back up again, "I'm hoping we can go see that movie coming out? The one about the time traveling teenage girl, I think it's called  _ Better Then _ ? I know sci-fi movies aren't really your thing, but-"

"Whatever you want to do, I am down." Rika cuts him off, riding the wave of her last little victory.

This wasn't necessarily true. Rika didn't love the premise, and she was never shy about sharing her opinions with him, even if it is brutish from time to time. She often reasoned that conflict is natural and their opposites kept things interesting. As of late though, the Digimon Queen bent the knee to Takato on any interest. Whatever it took to restore what light could not repair. 

"Are you sure? If I'm being honest, I kind of expected more of a back and forth on this."

They keep walking, their pace slowing down a bit. "No, it's fine. If you want to see it, then I'm on board."

His face twitches a frown momentarily. "That doesn't sound like the Rika I know. You usually tell me," he gathers himself momentarily and puts on a Rika impersonation voice: "'Science fiction is no different than magic and monsters. If I wanted to see something not real, I’d just go see Dracula.'"

Rika is annoyed, for a number of reasons. His impersonation of her feels demeaning. His attempt to quote her is wrong, although not off base. She's trying to do something nice for him and instead he’s picking a fight. ' _ Can't he see that I'm just doing what he wants? Can't he be happy that I'm in love with him? Can't that be enough? _ '

Rika takes them up the center-cut path. She slows to a stop directly in the center of her garden. She stops and presses her body against his. She looks up at his face. The moon and stars spread out across the night sky, their very light etching the lines of his war-torn face. ' _ He's been through so much.  _ We  _ have been through so much. _ '

"I want to see it because you want to see it."

He gives her a sad smile in return.

_ 'Push it down. Push it down. Push it down _ .'

Rika lifts up her hand. She touches his moonlit face in silence. ' _ Push it down, Rika. All the way down _ .'

She leans into him, reaching up on her tiptoes. Their lips meet. It starts meek, a soft touch of the lips, but both teenagers hunger for one another. They kiss again, open their mouths and embrace one another. The moment of passion passes. Rika steps back and they release. Hushed breaths are held as they look into each other's eyes. Her lilac and his almond blend for a moment as she reaches down and holds his hand.

She leans into him and buries her head into his chest. She lets it rest there a moment and listens to his heart beat.

_ Bump bump _

_ Bump bump _

She doesn't see it, but his lips curl upward. He shakes his head in wonder. "I love you so much. I don't know what I'd do without you."

Rika smiles wide and blushes. She has dodged his questions and brought a smile to his face once again. Rika thinks they are happy and they are together. 

' _ And we are happy together. _ '

* * *

Rika stands on her back porch, staring up at the luminous moon. Takato and his parents have just gone home, having finally sobered up enough to feel comfortable driving back across town. Rika reflects on their day together. The autumn leaves, the beautiful sunset, him calling her a grandma, the park, the old couple beneath the D + E tree, Grandma's incredible okonomiyaki, talk about high school, talk about Takato's aunt, talk about the card tournament next Friday.

' _ Shit. _ '

The realization hits Rika hard. She just promised Takato to go with him to see his aunt next Friday, but that's the same day as the Final 4 at Mr. Omu's card shop. She will need to talk to him about that. ' _ But that's a battle for another day. _ '

A shadow shifts oddly in Rika's view of the moon. She feels the shadows loom over her as she reflects again about her day. Autumn leaves signaling the death of summer, the inevitability of time passing and moving into old age, the people who died young, feeling 'lucky' to be alive, going to high school away from Takato, the poisoned well of her various friendships, going to see the movie she doesn't wants to see, him being displeased with her, being happy and together. And now this, having to decide between her card tournament or being there for Takato. It was all too much.

She reminds herself, ' _That's a battle for another day._ '

Rika turns away from the moon and the shadows. She walks to her bedroom entrance. As she slides the door open she hears wind chimes play.

_ Ding ding ding _

An ice cold breeze brushes against the back of her neck. Instinctively, she reaches up to touch it but her hand does not warm the spot. Rika hears dripping water from behind her.

_ Drop _

She turns on spot to survey her surroundings. All at once, Rika finds herself in a new location. The wind howls at her face, kicking up sand that smacks at her legs. She is enveloped in dark and grey. She has been transported. From the sliding door on her back porch, she is now on the edge of a beach of darkness.

Rika remembers this place. She remembers being taken and bound. She remembers the Darkness consuming her and gagging her. She tries to move but her feet are stuck. ' _ In the sand _ .' The voice from that day still booms over her head, as loud and as clear and as evil as ever. This is the same. It is all the same. How did she get here? How does she leave here? She cannot move. She cannot escape.

_ CRACK _

Lightning strikes and casts a long line of sight across the beach. For the first time, Rika looks up. She stares into the distance and then she sees it. She sees them. Twenty yards away, a pair of shadowy figures stand at the edge of the dark water. Thunder booms overhead and Rika screams.

"AHHHHHH!"

Rika lifts her foot up out of the sand and takes a step back. As she does, she trips over the step into her bedroom and falls backwards. 

"AHHH!"

She hits the carpeted floor and tries to scramble backwards. She kicks with her legs and pushes back with her elbows.

"Help me! Somebody, please!"

Her eyes dart all across her room. The ocean is gone. The beach is gone. Outside her room is just the moonlit garden, the large trees hanging above, shaking in the wind. A strange voice calls to her, "Rika!"

“Is everything alright?!”

From the bedroom door connected to the rest of her home, Rumiko Nonaka bursts forward. A moment later, Seiko is behind her. Both women quickly enter the room. Rika again pushes back, desperate to distance herself from the sliding doors. Rumiko gets down on her knees beside Rika. "Honey, what's happening? Talk to us." 

"I saw…"

Rika's chest is heaving like she had just been rescued from the depths of the ocean. Her pulse is pounding and she can feel her heart beating against her ribs. She attempts to steel herself. Her eyes move frantically around, looking for the beach, looking for the ocean, looking for the figures at the water. 

"I saw…"

Nothing is there. The beach, the ocean, the figures, the lightning... it is all gone. ' _ Don't frighten Mom. Don't frighten GrandMa. Don't give them a reason to worry. _ '

"What is it, Rika?" her GrandMa asks. “What did you see?"

"I saw a bug," she says palely. Her voice flattens as her body releases its clenched tension. "It must have had a million points of legs."

Rumiko relaxes. "Oh my dear, Rika, you almost gave us each a heart attack."

Rika's eyes slow, but continue to search. "I'm sorry Mom, it just appeared out of nowhere."

Rumiko gets up off the ground of her daughter's bedroom. "Well, you are more than welcome to sleep with your grandmother or me if you'd like."

Rika almost scoffs at the idea, "No, no. I-I'll be alright. I just…" She continues looking, waiting. "I just got scared for a second."

Rumiko takes a long, deep breath from a standing position. She issues a plea, "Well, if you see it again, can you please come get one us without waking the whole neighborhood?"

Rika nods but keeps her eyes on her door frame, staring out into the dark. Praying that it does not transform again. Wondering why it has not transformed again. Rumiko takes her leave.

Seiko stands still where she was, looking at Rika. "Are you sure you're okay?"

For the first time, Rika looks away from the door frame. She looks into her GrandMa's eyes. "I'm fine."

Seiko's scowls at Rika, and looks back to the door frame to the back garden. She returns her eyes to scanning Rika. She wants to say more. She wants to call Rika out. Because none of it makes sense. And Rika has been through enough to know when to ask for help. If her granddaughter saw something, she would tell her.

“Well you come and get me if you’re worried about anything else, okay?” Seiko asks.

Rika nods, “I will.”

“Goodnight, dear.” She reluctantly exits.

Rika slowly stands, continuing to look out the open door. The wind chimes do not sing. She considers approaching it, but doesn't want to go alone. She moves to a dresser nearby and opens it. Inside are old photo albums, mementos from her middle school, instruction manuals for various electronic devices. She finds a screwdriver and grabs it. 

As she closes the drawer, she catches a glimpse of her reflection in the mirror. Her white and azure "Digital Monsters" shirt is soaked to her collar bones in sweat. Her hair is matted on top. Her lilac irises glow in the light like purple flames, burning against the white of her eyes. The fear is present, but so too is the determination. She steps away from the mirror, towards the door.

She readies the screwdriver, hidden in her hand. She fashions it as a weapon, ready to strike anyone who comes near. Slowly she approaches the sliding door, peering out at the night, brandishing her tool. She arrives at the door frame, expecting and fearing the garden to be different. 

Gingerly she reaches for the handle and begins to slide the door shut. As she starts she looks down at her leg. Embedded in the hair on her shin she sees it. Sand particles. Black and grey sand, stuck to the sweat on her leg. She looks back up. She gazes out into the void. Carefully she closes the sliding door and retreats into her room.

From the shadow of the garden, a pair for slanted eyes look on.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed and will consider reviewing and keeping up with the remaining chapters. One little note: DCT = Digimon Card Tournament. This was the, presumably, world (or national?) championship that Rika lost to Ryo in 2000, right before she met Renamon and he met Cyberdramon. Most other things in this chapter I was able to explain through other people's thoughts or questions, but it didn't make sense for Rika or Takato to ask to clarify what the DCT would mean, since (1) she lived it, and (2) he would know exactly what she meant. 
> 
> On a separate note, I have created an Official Soundtrack (OST) for this story. These are songs that I chose for a myriad of reasons. They emotionally align with the story, they remind me of things I was thinking about as I wrote it, they are songs I listened to for inspiration as I worked on this story for the last 11+ months. I will be updating my bio on FF with each installation for the chapter, song+artist. This chapter's OST is "Flaws" by Daughter.
> 
> The next chapter will introduce an OC, but I assure you they will not have a larger impact on the plot. I mean, to a certain extent their actions will, but that’s up to you all to decide. Basically, please be nice to my OC and understand that they are serving a greater purpose.
> 
> If you want to understand some of the context of this story, without having to read the 2 preceding parts, please refer to the "Autumn Leaves Trilogy: Abridged" story I posted last week.This will probably be the longest post-A/N, as I've learned from other writers (Crazyeight and Longclaw 1-6, specifically) that less is more. Thanks again for reading and I hope to hear from you : )
> 
> Love always. Rukato Forever.
> 
> Notorious


	2. The Digimon Queen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rika heads to Mr. Omu's card shop for the City Championship Final 4. Ryo awaits, while Takato goes to the hospital.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Part of the journey is the end. Love and be loved. Read… and review!

#  **The Digimon Queen**

Rika can only think about death.

She stands on her back porch pondering death and loss. It has consumed her for the last week. She stares out at the garden she had built with her GrandMa, and sighs at the sight.  _ 'Dead and gone. What a bunch of bullcrap.' _

It had happened overnight. The day after Takato and his parents came over for dinner, Rika went out to water the flowers and found the entire thing had wilted and wasted away. Twelve hours earlier she stood amongst those flowers with him and shared a magical moment. Twelve hours later and it was all gone. She is soundly defeated by the loss. She almost wishes the pile of flowers had never existed, so she'd be spared her pain. 

' _ Almost. _ '

The foliage is nothing but weeds; the flowers are little better. The vines are black as night. Rika had been so proud. The work she had done, the time she had spent. It was a little death that tugged at her all week. She had lost the pile and there was no explanation. It was there and then it wasn't anymore.

Now it is Friday night, and she stands on her back porch, looking out at the setting sun again. Rika wears a worn, grey, stretch sweater and tight jeans that go to her ankles. The skies are completely clear and the weather has been good. It's almost time to head out. She lifts up her book bag and throws it around one shoulder. She steps down off of the porch and walks over to the garden. She stands before it and looks down at what she has wrought. Her mind flashes back to the exchange with her grandmother from earlier in the week.

_ "Will it grow back?" Rika asked, the doubt and anxiety present in her voice. _

_ Seiko looked Rika in the eye and smiled reassuringly. "They can always grow back." _

_ "How do we fix it?" she asked. _

_ "We'll bury the seeds as deep as we can next time," the Matriarch of the Nonaka family house said solemnly. _

Bury them deep. Rika thinks about what this would mean. For the flowers, and for herself. The arguments with Takato this past week had been hard on her. Still, she is going to this tournament. There is too much on the line. Rika Nonaka resolves that she will bury her competition deep tonight.

* * *

_ ‘6:04… 6:04… 6:04…’ _

A young blonde girl sits and stares at a clock radio from across the room. Her right knee bounces up and down as her hands mindlessly shuffle a deck of cards. Through the apartment wall she hears a baby crying. She’s wearing a white shirt with black trim and buttons, along with black shorts. She tries to relax, but her mind races so fast that she may never catch it. Carefully, she places the deck of cards back on the make-shift table beside her bed. She turns and lays flat against her twin-size bed, her feet scrunched up to prevent them from dangling off the edge. It wasn’t big enough, but it was the best they could afford. Her mind fills up with an assortment of thoughts, but most of them stem from the same point.  _ ‘Final 4. Just can’t come in 4th. Just need to place. Just need to place. Win 1 and that should do it. Win 2 and we’ll be set. Just need to place.’ _

The idea of actually winning the entire thing was out of the question. She would have to survive the King  _ and  _ the Queen, and that was just not going to happen. Perhaps she could get lucky and draw the other competitor in her first match? Buy her some time before having to face one or the other, let the two of them beat each other up before she would have to get erased by one or the other.  _ ‘But then that just makes my first game the most important one. If I can’t beat the other finalist, I might as well fold the moment I start playing the real competition.’  _

The girl turns to lying on her left side and faces a window that looks out at the brick building beside hers. The baby from somewhere continues to cry and now she hears two people arguing, their voices getting louder and louder. The sun is setting and will soon be dark. For a moment her eyes focus not on the sun or the brick, but on the slight reflection she can see of herself. She sees the golden hair pool all around her. She stares directly into the lilac eyes of the reflection. The room is dark, making the violet and blonde stick out. Her eyes adjust and she stares at the shadows cast over the adjacent brick building. Her mother set out for her shift at the bar about an hour ago, rushing in and out the door like a hurricane after coming home from her day shift at the diner. She thinks about what placing could mean.

_ ‘Eleven-thousand yen. What a difference that would make for Mom.’ _

She had saved every penny she could for the original tournament’s buy-in fee, which was slightly less than half of what the 3rd place prize would be. She can double her buy-in if she could just find a way to win just one, maybe two games.  _ ‘Just need to place. Just need to place.’  _

She rolls onto her back again and stares up at the ceiling, imagining the reaction if she came back with eleven-thousand yen. She envisions herself taking 3rd place, then gracefully bowing out of the tournament before the King and Queen’s final, climatic match. Then she could come home and celebrate her accomplishments and surprise her mother with the prize money. It is a beautiful image.

She rolls again and looks at the clock. ‘ _ Gosh damn it… 6:06. _ ’

She has about a 15 minute walk ahead of her, and needs to be there between 6:30 and 6:45 for deck inspections and security and such. She sits up again, pulls the hair tie off of her wrist, and puts her hair into a ponytail. When she is done, she grabs the deck of cards and resumes shuffling. She looks across the room at the clock radio again and waits for it to move. Slowly, her right knee begins to unconsciously bounce.

* * *

_ 'What even was the buy-in fee again? Five thousand yen? Six thousand? Not much.'  _ Rika had heard rumors that over 100 people signed up for the City Championship. At the local and regional rounds, Rika had dispatched her competition with ease. Part of her wonders if the people sponsoring the tournament had chosen which counties counted for which region with the sole intention of getting both of them to reach this point-for a spectacle?

_ 'Over 100 players buying in at 5 or 6 thousand yen? That's over half a million yen. And the top prize is only 55 thousand? What a bunch of greedy assholes.' _

Rika briefly regrets this thought. Mr. Omu was one of the people benefitting from this tournament. His shop was chosen because of his strong relationship with the player base, in particular the two best players in all of Japan, if not the world. His shop being located somewhat centrally certainly helped as well. 

_ 'Still, the prize money is bullshit. This is highway robbery for whatever corporation hosting it.' _

But Rika isn't doing this for the prize money. She's here with one mission and one goal in mind: just win.  _ 'It has to mean something. It can't be for nothing,'  _ Rika thinks. 

Rika is leaning against a nearby convenience store a few stores down. She stares at her phone, watching the time tick by and waiting as long as she can to see if a call comes in from Takato. She has left him at a bad time, and he is hurting, when she is desperate to protect him. 

She keeps her distance from the shop, hoping to avoid being seen as much as possible. There's a small collection of people sitting outside the shop, waiting. She's not concerned about paparazzi by any stretch, but this tournament is well known. People know she'll be here, and they would likely stop her and ask her for advice, or ask her how she's feeling about the tournament. She does not want to talk to anyone before she goes in, except Takato. Her goofy, loving, hurting, stupid gogglehead. 

_ Beep beep beep _

Rika's watch alerts her that it is now 6:30. The doors to Mr. Omu's card shop opens up and the smiling old man steps outside and props the door. The few people in line to enter file through. He puts his hands on his hips, looks out at the sun about to dip below the horizon, and sucks in a deep breath. Rika adores this little old man. He is passionate about the card game, he loves to engage with the players, and he is knowledgeable about most of the meta strategies. Rika had once offered to play him and get him experience going up against the best, to help him get better, but he had politely declined.

_ '"My bones are old and brittle, the last thing I need is a butt kicking from a teenage girl," he had quipped at her. _

Rika leans with her book bag into the brick and mortar store and closes her eyes to think. As she does this, a short girl with blonde hair in a ponytail comes rocketing around the corner. She moves in a hurry and has eyes on the store entrance. Something catches her attention out of the corner of her eye, though. She doesn't break stride initially, but as she turns her head the sight stops in her tracks.

Standing just a few feet away from her is the Digimon Queen. She looks at the fiery redhead, eyes closed, alone, by herself, pressed against a wall. She knew that the Queen would be here, but it's another thing entirely to see her in person. The truth is that she looks up to Rika. Who wouldn't? The badass Queen of Games, who came oh so close to winning the DCT, who became a Digidestined, partnered with Renamon and saved the world. 

_ 'Should I ask for her autograph? Should I ask for advice? Should I ask her to go easy on me? Maybe I can make her laugh? Maybe I can be nice and we could become friends and she could help me be better and maybe then I could get my own partner and maybe I'll be a real digidestined too?' _

Rika senses someone watching her. She opens her eyes and sees a girl standing a few feet away from her, eyes transfixed on Rika.

_ 'Shit. I've been spotted.' _

The girl is a little taller than Rika and maybe a little older too? She has golden blonde hair, held up in a ponytail, and Rika looks directly into lilac eyes that seem to mirror her own. They stare at one another for a second. Rika wonders what the girl will say first. If she stopped and stared at Rika like this, at this time, in this parking lot, on a Friday night, she has to be here for the tournament, either as a spectator or maybe even as a participant.

_ 'Shit! Shit! Shit,' _ she thinks.  _ 'I am completely blowing this. This is so embarrassing, I just need to get the hell out of here and walk away. Just walk away!'  _

Suddenly the blonde girl breaks eye contact without a word. She faces the card shop and walks away.

Rika is surprised, but glad that there was no interaction. Still, it felt odd. ' _ Well, that was sufficiently awkward.' _

* * *

Over the next 25 minutes, Rika stays outside and watches another two or three dozen people enter the store. A small line forms as each entrant is patted down for security purposes and the players have their decks examined. 

It's now five minutes to 7:00. The tide of viewers and participants has died down as the start time approaches. Takato has not called, nor texted her. Hopefully this means good things at the hospital. Rika decides it's time to make her appearance. As she walks across the parking lot, she looks up at the twilight sky. Through the fading light she takes note of a few stars that are peeking out. The moon is beginning to glow.

Part of the late entrance is a flair for the dramatic, and part of it is intentional. She wants to set the terms of the tournament, and the first rule: the games don't start until she walks in. 

Rika stands at the end of a short line of 3, waiting to get into the card shop. Luckily for her, the other two young boys in front of her never turn around and see the famous redhead behind them. Rika steps up to a large man who stops her. "Book bag on the table, please."

She does as instructed, and the fellow begins unzipping the bag to sort through it. "Player or audience?" 

Rika opens her mouth to reply but is cut off by a voice from behind the security guard, "Oh James, this one is a neither."

Mr. Omu steps out into view as James pauses his work to turn and listen. "She is a Queen, and she has come for her throne." 

Rika gives James the Big Bad Security Man a look and he nods. She steps past him while he continues his sweep. She steps towards Mr. Omu and gives a slight head bow to him. "It's good to see you too, Mr. Omu."

"Come now, Ms. Nonaka, by the end of the night we all very well may be bowing to you."

Rika lifts her head and gives a devilish smile. "How many times do I have to tell you? Call me Rika. Not Ms. Nonaka, and certainly not the Queen."

He smiles back at her and says, "Apologies, your Grace."

Rika stifles a laugh before he continues, "Please present your deck for inspection."

Rika reaches into the deck holster on her hip and pulls out her cards. She hands them to him. "Are these all the cards you intend to use tonight?"

She nods her head. "Yep, they're all there. There's over 80 cards in that pile. I'll swap them out to meet the 40 card maximum depending on the match up."

He nods his head as he spreads the deck across a table beside him. He is searching for banned cards and ensuring Rika has not surpassed the maximum permitted of limited cards.

The store is buzzing with sound as the audience members talk amongst themselves about this or that. Rika hated playing in front of groups of people. She preferred to dismantle an opponent without publicly embarrassing them too.

"Ma'am."

Rika is pulled out of her thought process by James. He moves his head and hand to direct her to come back to the check-in point. She returns to her original spot and he pulls a thin object from the book bag.

"Were you aware that this could be utilized as a weapon?"

Rika stares down at a small, metal screwdriver. She had pulled it from the dresser in her bedroom last weekend. Back when… that thing… happened. She had put it in her book bag to keep it on hand at any moment. Nothing had happened since last weekend but Rika was on edge nonetheless.

"Oh, um, I'm sorry, I forgot that I put that in there."

His facial expression doesn't change. "You are a participant so we would have confiscated your bag regardless, but now we especially can't let you have this until you go to leave the premises."

Rika shakes her head, feeling dumb and embarrassed for having stowed it away in her bag. "Yeah, sure, of course, I get it. No problem."

James nods and walks the bag over to a corner where he puts it down with a couple of other belongings. As he returns to his post he notes to Mr. Omu, "There were no additional cards found in the bag, sir."

"Thank you, James." He replies but does not stop his work as he sorts through Rika's deck.

"Can I?" Rika asks and gestures towards Mr. Omu.

"By all means." He replies and steps aside so Rika can return to Mr. Omu's side.

As she steps beside him once again, Mr. Omu starts talking to her while sorting through it, "So Rika, care to divulge to this old man what your plan is for tonight?"

"Sure thing, Mr. Omu," sje takes a deep breath and prepares to info dump on the old man. "I limit my Digimon cards and focus instead on option cards. Looking to keep them alive and my competition demoralized for longer."

"I happen to notice that all of your starters…"

"Yep. It's exactly what you think it is. Renamon, Guilmon, Terriermon. I've brought a few other cards to prepare for anything but those are my major pieces. Gives me lots of flexibility with type."

"While also paying homage to your friends."

Rika does not respond. Mr. Omu pauses while going through some of the last few cards. "You've brought along your Prophecy Digivolve card. There's only a few of these in the world. And yet this isn’t even the first one I’ve seen tonight."

"Of course it isn't." She responds and looks up to survey the people around the shop. "I prefer to run Nightmare decks but sometimes the situation calls for other things. And speaking of which-"

Mr. Omu cuts her off, but continues filing through the last of her cards. "Take note of the older girl with platinum blonde hair and glasses, as well as the golden blonde, ponytail girl in white with black shorts."

Rika searches the room before pinpointing them. She vaguely recognizes the platinum blonde. The golden blonde is the same one who made eyes at her in the parking lot.  _ 'So she _ is _ my competition?' _ "Okay. I found them."

"The girl in glasses is named Alice White. Her strategy is to get Millenniummon on the field and then grind her opponents into oblivion. She will try to out digivolve her opponent and then crush them with brute force."

"Sounds like I should bring Death Evolution then," Rika says. She remembers now. Alice has been quietly ascending in recent months. Alice is older than the rest of them, an upperclassman in high school. Supposedly she's been playing very well.

"The ponytail girl's name is Danielle Tappler. She has been around for a while, but never made it this far. She has always and exclusively runs a dragon deck."

Rika scoffs. Perhaps she misheard. "A  _ dragon  _ deck? You're kidding."

"She has made it this far with it, Rika. Don't underestimate her."

' _ A  _ dragon _ deck?! All you need is a WarGreymon, BlackWarGreymon, or one of the dra-mon killer option cards and her entire deck would crumble.'  _

Mr. Omu interrupted her thoughts with a harsh reminder of what she was really up against. "And then of course there is Ryo."

Rika did not respond. Her lilac eyes moved towards him naturally and when they landed on their target, she found him staring right back at her from across the room. A tiny building, holding far too many people, packed, loud, and busy. And there they were, staring at each other like no one else was even there.

Rika turns back to Mr. Omu, who hands her deck back to her. He smiles, and steps past her to get the tournament rolling. "Thanks for sharing about the competition."

He stops, turns, and looks at Rika. He raises a hand and puts it on her shoulder. "I've already warned your opponents all about you, so it is only fair." Rika laughs at this. He releases his grip, starts to turn away, but then stops. He looks at her sideways and finishes, "Then again, they all know the Queen.”

* * *

Danielle Tappler sits silently as Mr. Omu proceeds through the opening ceremonies. He explains to the audience, 30 or 40 of most avid fans of the card game, that the Final 4 will consist of a double-elimination round robin. This is different from the format that brought Danielle to this point. She had to submit her tournament and circuit history for review, was assigned a seeding based on that record, and then had to win a single elimination tournament a few weeks ago. Along the way she had to square off against her best friend Lily in the semifinals. It was a hard moment to eliminate Lily, but it was necessarily for her to get to this point.

_ 'It has to mean something. It can't be for nothing.'  _ Danielle thinks.

Mr. Omu now explains the process for selecting the first matchups. He brings out a wire basket spinner, straight out of a Bingo set. Inside are 4 bingo balls. He explains that their random selection from these will determine our seeding. Whomever chooses #1 will face #4, and #2 will play #3. From there the winners will play each other, losers against one another, and they'll keep going until only one person is left. 

Mr. Omu stirs things up by calling Ryo first to pull a number. He smiles widely as he approaches. Mr. Omu turns the spinner and produces a ball. Ryo takes it from him and holds it up: #2.

Ryo stands on Mr. Omu's left side as he continues to spin. Next he calls Danielle to pull her number. As she approaches, her anxiety spikes. ' _ Please not #3, please not #3, please not #3.' _

She is not alone in this. Rika and Ryo silently echo those same thoughts, each wanting their date with destiny to start earlier, rather than later. Even Alice would like a shot at Danielle first.

Mr. Omu turns the spinner and produces another ball. He hands it to Danielle. She looks down and spins it in her palm to reveal the number: #1.

_ 'Oh thank heavens, there is someone looking out for me after all.'  _ Danielle thinks to herself.

A sigh of relief washes over Ryo as well. ' _ One step closer to our rematch. Now, just need Rika to get #3.' _

Danielle stands on Mr. Omu's right side. He spins again. The crowd begins to murmur to themselves. The energy in the far too small card shop is building. "Ms. Nonaka, please step forward."

As Rika approaches she steals a moment's glance at Ryo. His head is bowed slightly but he looks directly at her. There's a hint of a smirk on his face. Ryo thinks to himself,  _ 'She knows just as well as I do that there's only one way this goes… _ '

Rika stops in front of Mr. Omu but her eyes are on Ryo. Her friend, fellow Tamer, fellow hostage to the Darkness. Before and above all of that though he is her arch-nemesis. She thinks to herself,  _ 'This is my fate.’ _

Mr. Omu produces the small bingo ball and hands it to Rika. She spins it in her hand and looks down to find her number. Mr. Omu looks down as well and sees it himself. He declares for the entire audience to hear. "Excellent! Ms. Nonaka has drawn #4!"

The crowd erupts into conversation immediately. Rika stands in stunned silence looking down at the ball in her hand. Amongst the shouting and discussion, Mr. Omu says quietly to Rika, "Ms. Nonaka, if you wouldn't mind stepping over towards Ms. Tappler."

Rika looks up at Mr. Omu, mouth agape. She closes it, looks around. She looks over at Danielle and they make eye contact again. Their violet eyes mirror the same distraught emotion back to one another, although for different reasons. Rika steps slowly to stand beside Danielle. "Finally, Ms. White, please step forward."

Mr. Omu pulls the last bingo ball and hands it to her. Sure enough it bears a black, faded #3 on it. The girl in glasses takes the ball and then stands beside Ryo. The crowd is humming when Mr. Omu yells above them, raising one hand to the pair on his left, "The first round matchups of our City Championship Final 4 will be: Ryo Akiyama versus Alice White."

He puts his hand down and raises the other, gesturing towards the girls on his right, "And Rika Nonaka versus Danielle Tappler!"

Almost in unison, all four of the contestants think to themselves, ' _ Shit.' _

* * *

Rika cuts the deck of her opponent. A second later Danielle cuts Rika's deck and then they each reach for their respective cards. Mr. Omu sits down at a stool beside their play-mat. A camera on a tripod records the field of play from above. The cords from the camera stream across the ground. The cords lead to a projector, showing their game onto a pull down screen.

Mr. Omu smiles wide at the two girls. Then he asks, "Would you like to inspect each other's Destiny Zone?"

Rika thinks, ' _ It's not going to matter, I know it's dragons already. _ '

"That's not necessary for me." Rika says.

Danielle panics, ' _ Well, if she doesn't want to look at mine then it might be rude for me to look at hers. Mr. Omu already said she mostly plays Option cards anyway. _ '

"No, I'm okay too." Danielle replies.

Mr. Omu continues, "Excellent, well, please declare your respective Partner Cards."

Rika smiles, knowing this will be a surprise and tipping her hand ever so elegantly, "Agumon."

Danielle shifts in her seat and looks awkward. She replies, "Demidevimon."

Rika is stunned. ' _ Demidevimon? I thought he said she only ran dragons? _ ' Rika immediately regrets not inspecting the Destiny Zone.

Mr. Omu asks one last question, "Finally, have you decided who will have the first turn?"

They had not but Danielle volunteers immediately, "She's the Digimon Queen, she should get first turn."

Before Rika can rebuttal or agree, Mr. Omu stands up, "Excellent! Then let the game begin. First to 3 KOs wins!"

As they each draw their hand, Rika can't help herself as her mind wanders. Takato has not called or texted her. Once she starts playing she won't be able to focus on anything else until it's over, one way or another. 

Playing against this nobody may be a blessing in disguise. Perhaps this is exactly what Rika needs. A warm up match to get her started before she faces off with Ryo in the real, final match. 

Rika draws Guilmon, two Ginryumons, Dracomon, and Wargrowlmon. She is disappointed with no Option cards. Her plan is to get BlackWarGreymon on the field, whose passive ability allows for instant dragon killing. She just has to get him on the field.

Danielle’s nerves build as she draws her own hand. Growlmon, Ryudamon, Digigrave, Megadramon, and her Ace card, Black Hole.

Rika gets the first turn and draws Veemon. She sees a strategy coming together. She plays Guilmon as her active, places Dracomon into the DP pile for 20 points, which allows her to digivolve to Ginryumon, and then ends her turn.

Danielle draws and manages to pull Demidevimon! She double checks her cards to make sure everything will work out how she hopes. She plays Demidevimon and is permitted to partner evolve him right away from her Destiny Zone. She places Devidramon on top. She plays Ryudamon into the DP for 30 points and they enter the strategy phase.

Each player places their cards down and grabs 3 chips with an X, and O, and a triangle. They peek down at their choices before picking their attack. Rika thinks to herself, ' _Devidramon. Smart. Dragon type but gives her flexibility._ _And it's a huge body of HP._ '

Rika chooses X in a hope to block Devidramon’s O attack. Danielle silently chooses her triangle attack. In the support phase, Rika plays nothing while Danielle plays Digigrave. After the battle phase, Rika’ Ginryumon’s HP drops down to 310, while Devidramon is still at 880.   
  
Rika trashes 5 cards from Digigrave, and then draws Dark Evolve as her next card. It’s not ideal, but it’s her best play at this point. She uses it to digivolve to WarGrowlmon. As she places the Ultimate on top, her mind lingers on the card and she remembers the memories of the red dinosaur and of course Takato. ‘ _ I hope he’s okay. _ ’   
  
As they enter the strategy phase, Danielle triple checks everything, struggling to believe her eyes. Rika plays no support card, while Danielle plays Growlmon. Rika’s level is higher, so if they choose the same attack, then Devidramon’s damage is tripled.   
  
Rika again is stunned for a moment. Dark Evolve dictates her attack choice. Danielle knew her pick before playing the card. They flip over their attacks. Devidramon’s HP goes down to 90, but Danielle secures the first KO and WarGrowlmon is off the field.

The crowd throughout the building murmurs to each other. Rika plays Veemon from her hand to replace her digimon and her turn ends. The situation is not great for her.   
  
Danielle draws Hisharyumon. ' _ What the hell is happening!'  _ How could Danielle's luck be this strong? The game has barely started and she has a KO and is watching a wide open path develop. She pays the 30 DP and uses the evolution bonus to digivolve from Devidramon to Megadramon.   
  
Rika feels alarmed and the crowd gets louder. Danielle's heart is beating out of her chest. Rika doesn't even have the first attack next, she is toast. Her mind flips to Takato. She loses track of herself and quickly choses an attack.   
  
Danielle plays nothing, while Rika takes a risk and supports facedown from her deck. The card ends up being Partner Finder, allowing her to get Agumon straight from her deck. Everything is on a delay for Rika as she realizes what’s about to happen. In the battle Phase, she has no recourse. Megadramon KOs Veemon and she is now down 2-0.   
  
The crowd can hardly contain themselves. Rika discards Veemon. Her options are running low, but at least now she has Agumon.   
  
She draws and pulls Dark Wings. She summons Agumon and then partner evolves him to GeoGreymon. In the support phase, Rika plays the Dark Wings, while Danielle plays nothing. GeoGreymon gets Drain ability and after the battle phase, GeoGreymon is down to 600 HP, while Megadramon is still at 1150. Rika survives, but she's running out of time.   
  
Danielle enters her turn and fears she may faint.  _ 'How is it possible that I have Rika Nonaka on the ropes?' _ She pulls Heap of Junk from her deck. She makes the announcement she's been waiting for, "From my hand I reveal Hisharyumon, which I DNA digivolve with Megadramon to my Mega."   
  
Danielle reaches for her Destiny Zone. Rika begins sweating.  _ 'How the hell is this happening to me right now? All these dragons and now her Mega!' _   
  
Danielle places a red dragon on top, "Megidramon."   
  
Rika's mind flashes again to when Takato had forced Guilmon to digivolve, nearly a year and a half ago now. So much has changed yet here she was, facing that same dragon again.   
  
Rika has never faced a Megidramon in the card game before and is unfamiliar with his abilities. But she can read his attack points and knows she is toast regardless if Danielle chose O or triangle. She looks down at her hand and finds her salvation.   
  
In the support phase, Danielle plays nothing, while Rika plays Ginryumon as her option. Because GeoGreymon is a dragon, Megidramon’s power is reduced by 600.   
  
Danielle loses her temporary high as she realizes this means the match will not end. She had chosen triangle, the safe option, but after Rika's support, it meant she had barely scratched GeoGreymon. After the attack phase GeoGreymon has 530 HP, compared to Megidramon's 1240 HP.   
  
Rika looks down at her deck as she goes to draw. She needs something now to save her. ' _ Please. _ '

She pulls the card and finds her prayers answered. ' _ Prophecy Digivolve!' _

Rika smiles wily at Danielle, who looks pensive. Danielle is trying to suppress her rising pride, thinking she may actually beat Rika Nonaka. Rika feels momentum building, energy swelling inside her. This is her moment. "You're probably not familiar with this card, but I'll explain."

Rika places the Prophecy card down. The cover of it shows Tai and Matt from the cartoon, holding hands, with golden arrows piercing through them. "Prophecy Digivolve. It's the Ace card in my deck. It allows me to digivolve any digimon on my side to my Mega card. This will ignore type, level, DP. It also can not be voided by any card effect."

Danielle felt like Rika had just popped her pride balloon. Rika had been given a second chance at life, and it was going to cost Danielle the game. Rika continues, "Like I said, I doubt you've seen it. There's only a handful of them in the world. You'll have to go a lot further than a city-wide tournament to get your hands on one."

Rika reaches for her Destiny Zone and announces, "I digivolve GeoGreymon to BlackWarGreymon."

Danielle can't believe her ears. ' _ BlackWarGreymon? Is she serious?' _

As Rika places the card down, Danielle can't stop herself, "Do you know how Megidramon works?"

Rika pauses and looks at the ponytail girl sitting across from her. There's a sense of superiority in how Danielle asks her. The look on her face is of concern and confusion. Rika doesn't like it one bit. "I fought a real Megidramon in the Digital World. I know  _ exactly  _ how it works."

Danielle is taken aback. "I mean, do you know how the card works?"

Rika doesn't back down. "It won't matter how it works soon enough."

Danielle doesn't back down either. "You should fold now. Save yourself the embarrassment."

_ ‘Fold? Is this girl being serious?’ _ Rika scoffs, "I'm about to teach you a lesson about embarrassment."

In the support phase, Rika plays nothing, while Danielle plays Black Hole. Rika starts, "BlackWarGreymon's Passive ability states that when facing any dragon type monster, his attack power automatically changes to match the HP of that Digimon. So I reveal his O attack, which now becomes equal to Megidramon's HP."

Danielle speaks confidently this time, "That would be the case, if he was a Dragon type."

The confusion is plain on Rika's face. Danielle continues, "You see, Megidramon's passive allows him to change his type at the start of the support phase. In this case, I’ll change his type to Nightmare."

Rika knew nothing about Megidramon's abilities. If she had just searched the DZ before the game, she would know this. But she didn't.

Danielle continues, "And with Black Hole on the field, it halves BlackWarGreymon's HP from 1700 to 850. I reveal O attack, which does 860 damage. And KO's BlackWarGreymon."

The crowd explodes into conversation. Rika sits in stunned silence and stares at the card on the table. 

"I did it!” Danielle exclaims. She stands up and raises her fists into the air. 

“I killed the Digimon Queen!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Uh-oh, Rika is in trouble here. Regicide was briefly considered as an alternative title to this chapter but it felt like too much of a spoiler for the chapter. More info on the card game will be available after the next chapter, but if you are curious it is Digi-Battle Evolution, created by Alice White. You should Google "V Mundi" and dive into the deep end of this amazing product that Alice created for all of our fandom!
> 
> This chapter's OST is "You Should See Me in a Crown" by Billie Eilish.
> 
> Love always. Rukato Forever.
> 
> Notorious


	3. Never Folded

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rika lost her first match of the City Championship. Will she exit early and kill her pride to be with Takato when he needs her? Or will she stay and rule as a Queen should do?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Part of the journey is the end. Love and be loved. Read… and review!

#  Never Folded

Rika sits on the floor in the back hallway of Mr. Omu's card shop. Through the walls she hears people commenting and audible directives being given of the match between Ryo and Alice. Rika stares at her phone and retypes her text message again. On the opposite end of the hallway, Danielle sits in a chair, her knees bouncing up and down.

"You'll never believe this but I actually lost. And not even to Ryo. To someone else. And now I'll probably need to beat Ryo twice to win, and if I lose again then I'll be out. And maybe I should just quit. Maybe I should fold, so I can just come be with you and your family. What should I do?"

' _ Ugh, so long. How do I shorten this?'  _ She deletes the message and starts again.

"So, I lost my 1st one :/ Thinking of leaving and just coming to you. What do you think?"

' _ Would I even leave if he asked me to? How can I come now, late, after all the arguing this week about it. I should have just gone with him instead of coming here.' _

Mr. Omu steps into the hallway, he looks to the opposite end of Rika, where Danielle sat, mindlessly shuffling her deck over and over again. "Ms. Tappler, your winners bracket match will begin shortly. Mr. Akiyama has won and will be your matchup after the losers bracket match between Ms. Nonaka and Ms. White."

Danielle nods and agrees. She is thinking about her mother again, and her victory over Rika and how she had never expected it and how she will absolutely place in at least 3rd now that Alice has lost. But with a win over Rika, she begins thinking that 2nd place's winnings are firmly within reach. What had seemed far out of reach for her skill level is now a silent, real possibility. 

Mr. Omu turns and faces down to where Rika sits. "Ms. Nonaka, we await you outside."

Rika nods and Mr. Omu exits. Rika stares down the dark corridor at the red lit "EXIT" sign that was the store's backdoor exit, for employees only. Rika looks at the fluorescent red amidst the black. She thinks about what Danielle said to her.  _ 'You should fold now. Save yourself the embarrassment.'  _ Maybe she should cut her losses while she's ahead and go to the hospital. 

_ 'That's not what a Queen would do. I've never been one to run from a fight, and I'm not gonna start now. I did not come this far to only come  _ this  _ far.' _

She stands up and walks towards the door that Mr. Omu just came from. She doesn't even realize that she never sent the text to Takato.

* * *

Rika sits down across from Alice, who is shuffling her deck looking dejected. Ryo wore a massive smile as he exited to applause. Rika can't help but feel for the blonde in glasses. She knew exactly what it was like to lose to Ryo Akiyama. Rika reaches into her card holster and pulls her new deck out. She has completely changed her deck after losing to Danielle. If Rika's going to lose, it's going to be on her terms, using her cards.

Mr. Omu approaches, "Would you like to inspect each other's Destiny Zone's?"

Rika agrees this time and inspects the 4 card pile. She reads carefully about Millenniummon, in case she has to face it. Alice does the same.

"Please declare your partners."

Alice goes first, "Monodramon."

Rika follows, "Renamon."

The words feel good coming out of her mouth. Something deep within her is pleased. She can sense something changing. They draw their first hand. Rika pulls Terriermon, Renamon, Death Evolution, Golden Treasure, and Dark Wings. Alice goes first. She plays Palmon, places Birdramon into her DP, doesn't digivolve, and then ends her opening turn.

Rika's hand is nearly perfect for the long game. She'll have to win early match ups to ensure she stays out in front, but after hearing about Alice's strategy from Mr. Omu, Death Evolution was exactly the card she needed to halt her at the right time. Still, she needed more. Rika reaches down to draw from the deck. 

Rika holds in her hand the Digimental of Fate. The card glistens in the light as she brings it closer. For some reason she felt like it was warm, and thought for a brief moment that the card in her hand was radiating. She looks away and stares directly into the blue of Alice’s eyes.

_ 'I'm not going home early tonight. I'm winning this whole thing.' _

* * *

Rika walks towards the door to the back hallway once again. The crowd around her is ablaze with conversation over the match that just finished. As she approaches the door she sees Ryo smiling from ear to ear. He is waiting, while Mr. Omu holds the door open for Rika and Alice to exit through. As she goes to pass him he says to her, “Nice work out there, Rika. See you soon.”

Rika sneers in response as she passes him. On her way through the door she notices Danielle huddled in the corner behind him. Danielle looks like she is concentrating very hard, but once again she is mindlessly shuffling her deck in her hands. Rika keeps an eye on her as she passes into the employee-only space.

Rika enters the private space and feels her adrenaline rushing. She was alive and would get another shot at Danielle. She had already found a card to upend Megidramon, if she got to that stage again. Then she'd have to face off with Ryo, twice, in order to be the city champion. Redemption was within reach. 

Rika reaches into her pocket and pulls out her phone. She opens a message to Takato and starts, "I won! I'm still in it!! I did-"

It is now that she realizes she never actually texted him about losing her first match. She deletes the message and thinks about what she should send to summarize her night so far. "Hey! Sorry I didn't text sooner, it's been crazy. I lost my first match, but then I won. And I haven't even played"

_ BANG! _

Rika looks up for the source of the noise. Alice is fixing her bookbag, trying to adjust what's inside. Rika eyes the girl for a second. Alice lets out a deep sigh. Rika thinks briefly that maybe she should go talk to the girl. But it's not Rika's problem that she lost two games… to Ryo. And her. Rika looks back down at her message to Takato. ' _ Takato would want me to go talk to her.' _

Rika closes her phone and walks over to the girl as she packs her bag in the dimly lit hallway. "It's Alice, right?"

The girl with glasses and a nose piercing nearly jumps out of her skin. She turns around to face Rika, startled, "Hi! Ah, yes. Yeah, I'm Alice. Alice White."

Alice thinks to extend a hand to shake, but then changes her mind. She raises her hand, and ends up doing an awkward half-wave from 2 feet away. Rika doesn't notice, "Hi, I'm Rika."

Alice laughs a little at this,"Everyone knows who you are."

Rika raises her eyebrows for a second. "For better and worse," and a moment of silence falls over them. Rika continues, gesturing towards the girl's book bag. "You heading out? Don't want to watch the rest?"

Alice looks at her bag momentarily and then back to Rika, "Oh, yeah. My family is waiting for me. I kind of figured I'd lose early so they haven't started our movie night yet. I told them if I wasn't back by 8:30 to just start without me. Looks like I'll be back in plenty of time for that."

Both girls find this encounter awkward. Alice doesn't know what more to say to the younger girl. Rika feels odd because she's trying to comfort someone older than her, who she just beat. Finally Rika says, "You're really good. I know technically it was a sweep, but that was really challenging. And honestly I got really lucky."

Alice smiles at the comment but is conflicted. "I'm not sure what to say. You wiped the floor with me."

"Only after I got swept in no time myself, by the other girl," Rika laughs.

Seeing the Ice Queen laugh breaks much of the tension for Alice. Although she is probably 3 or 4 years her senior, she feels somehow inferior to the redhead. "You pulled out that Digimental of Fate first turn, and Death Evolution at the worst possible time for me. I think you may have just been fated to win."

_ 'Fated to win?' _ Rika liked the sound of that. A lot. She replies, "And maybe we're fated to play again some day. I liked your deck. And I think I liked your strategy even more."

Alice smiles wide at the compliment, "Thank you so much! That means a lot. The whole thing revolves around game theory and math."

She pauses, weighing whether she should say this next thought. She may not get many more opportunities to talk to the Digimon Queen so she decides to go forward, "I really think it's the future of these card tournaments. Fast, furious, uncompromising digivolving."

Rika mulls this comment over in her mind for a second. "I'm not sure what game theory is, but I hear you about the digivolving aspect. I'd love to hear more about it someday, if you're willing to teach me?"

Alice's mind goes blank at this question. She stammers and stares directly at her. ' _ I thought this girl was supposed to be a bitch?'  _ She tries to formulate the words and finally speaks. "Me? Teach you? That. Yes! I would love that!"

The two girls exchange cell phone numbers. They have idle chat for another minute or so before Alice looks at her watch and apologizes that she needs to get going. She walks past Rika towards the exit and Rika calls to her, "I hope we can teach each other a lot soon enough."

Just as Alice is reaching the exit she turns and says, "We will. And you can tell me all about how you won this tournament after I leave."

With that, she disappears out the side door and into the twilight outside.

Rika smiles and thinks about what the girl said again.  _ 'Fated to win?'  _ It satisfied something deep within her again. A monster growing inside. Like when she said Renamon was her partner again. It felt right. Being a digidestined felt right. Being fated to win felt right. Talking to her opponent felt right. Takato would be so proud of her.

_ 'Shit! Takato!' _

Rika reaches into her pocket to grab her phone.

_ BANG! _

The side door swings open and Mr. Omu steps inside, holding it open. "Ms. Nonaka, your next match awaits."

Rika looks up at him and immediately all other thoughts leave her mind. "Rematch time." He says, smiling at her.

Rika narrows her eyes and says, "Bring her on."

Mr. Omu smiles knowingly, "No, Rika. Your  _ other  _ rematch is starting early."

_ 'What?'  _ Confusion spreads across her face. As she is trying to work it through her mind though, a short, golden blonde haired girl with a ponytail steps through the doorway and returns to her seat away from Rika. 

' _ Did she really...?' _

Rika involuntarily moves towards Mr. Omu. As she reaches him he smiles up at her. She looks inside the card shop, to the playing table. Ryo sits, shuffling his deck.

Mr. Omu breaks her concentration, "Clean sweep."

Rika looks down aghast at the little, old man. He watched it live himself so he does not share Rika's surprise. He feels as though he is watching a star being born before his very eyes. Rika steals a glance back at Danielle, sitting, her knee shaking, her hands shuffling her deck.

She looks back out at Ryo, waiting for her. Slowly he turns and they lock eyes. Rika walks out to meet him.

* * *

‘ _ Always that cocky smile. Always. _ ’ She thinks.

‘ _ Always the icy attitude. Thinks she can hide behind it, but we all know better now.’  _ He mulls.

Rika sits down across from Ryo, her violet eyes meeting his hazel ones. She pulls her deck out of her holster and begins to shuffle her cards, while he continues doing the same. The crowd is trying to whisper to each other but just end up talking and the noise level is building quickly. Rika wishes she could smack the smile off of Ryo’s face, but he does it for her. He laughs for a second before dropping the facade. “So, how’s Takato been? I miss him. It’s been too long since I last saw him.”

“He’s okay. His aunt’s in the hospital.” She replies truthfully.

“Everything OK?” he asks, the concern evident in his voice.

“We’re not sure yet.”

“Well keep me updated. What about you, how have you been?”

“Fine.” Rika is not one for the niceties.

“You see much of the old gang anymore?”

“Not really. You?”

“No. I was spending a lot of time with Kenta when we first got back, but not so much anymore. I was teaching him how to play better. He got  _ really  _ into computers and then kind of disappeared.”

Rika doesn’t want to keep up the small talk so she doesn’t reply. She knows that one of them is about to be eliminated from the tournament in the next few minutes, and she doesn’t want to really waste her time talking.

“This isn’t like the DCT. I won’t make the same mistakes again.”

This lights the fire back within Ryo. He wants to go to war just as much as Rika, but he thought it might be better to slowly transition into that. “Oh you won’t? Well, sorry to say Digimon Queen, but there’s only one way I see this going.”

Rika rears up, fire burning within. “You’re wrong. There’s only two ways this goes. Ones with you walking through the door, and the others through me.”

Ryo loves to get a reaction out of the redhead. She gets fired up and then explodes like this. “Don’t worry, I’ll be going through you in no time.”

“I’m not going to show you any mercy. No kindness.” Rika states, slapping her deck in front of him to cut. “I’m not here to make friends.”

This comment seems to cut Ryo in a way he didn’t expect. He slowly slides his deck across the table to her. “I thought we were already friends?” He asks, sincerely.

They cut each other's deck, pass them back, and the game begins.

* * *

In their first rematch in 3 years, Rika and Ryo are locked in the middle of an epic showdown. They are 6 turns deep into the match and neither had secured a KO yet, but a tipping point is approaching. 

Rika has just digivolved Taomon into Sakuyamon, while Ryo has been using Cyberdramon for 3 turns now. He just can’t draw the cards he needs to bring Justimon to the field, which means Cyberdramon is growing low on HP. Rika sees an opening unfolding, but has to strike while she has the chance.

Rika can't quite kill Cyberdramon because of his Jamming effect. So Rika hedges her bets that Ryo will choose his X attack again and plays Disruption Ray. Ryo, low on cards in-hand, plays Training Manuel, hoping to extend Cyberdramon another turn. When they reach the battle phase, Rika's move pays off. She changes Cyberdramon's attack, removes the jamming effect, and Sakuyamon banishes the ultimate, securing the first KO of the match.

The crowd grows excited as Rika takes a step towards victory. Rika has kept chatter down and doesn't start up now either. Sakuyamon's health is low, all the way down from 2310 to just 600.

Ryo summons Lopmon as his replacement, but it's Rika's turn. She draws and pulls the Digimental of Fate again. Unlike her game against Alice, where the card was crucial to her win, it's a brick now as she has nothing to pair it with.

As they enter the battle and support phase, Ryo's restocked hand provides a unique opportunity. Rika doesn't support, while Ryo plays Metal Parts. He discards his hand and raises Lopmon's attack by x4. He successfully O to 0's Sakuyamon's opening attack, and follows that with a punch back KO of the Mega. Rika never saw it coming and as a result loses her partner card. Because Ryo didn't attack first, he also gets to draw a card. They stand tied at 1-1.

Ryo interjects the first bit of light commentary between the rivals. "Now we're both down our real life partners. You ever think about them? Think they might still be around?"

Rika doesn't want to engage but her curiosity gets the better of her. She pulls Guilmon from her hand and plays him as her new rookie. "Still around? That's not possible. Not after everything we've been through."

Ryo smiles and places his hand down for a moment. "Doesn't it sometimes feel like you have someone looking out for you though? Like a guardian angel? Or maybe just your partner?"

"I honestly just try to not think about any of it anymore."

Ryo draws and now holds two cards: Partner Finder and Behemoth. As they enter their next battle phase, they both choose to play it safe with triangle attacks and Ryo plays his Partner Finder to get Monodramon into his hand. Rika isn't worried about that because if push comes to shove, she has a card in hand already for his partner. As the turn changes back to Rika, Guilmon is down to just 190 HP, versus Lopmon's 390.

Luck fares on Rika's side once again as she draws Digivice from her deck. With Growlmon already in hand she plays the card and digivolves to the upgraded partner. She suddenly has flashbacks to Takato again. ' _ Shit, I never texted him!' _

Ryo had feared that Rika would digivolve. It's a guaranteed KO at this point. But he's got Monodramon, and the partner card is a huge advantage so even if she KOs him, he'll be able to bounce back quickly to Champion. ' _ In fact, with Behemoth, I can guarantee a KO over Growlmon next turn and tie this up _ .'

Ryo springs the trap in the support phase. Rika looks down at a hand of Potty Boat, Whistle, and the Digitmenal of Fate. None of them will help her in this situation so she lets it ride. In return, Lopmon damages Growlmon down to 650 HP, while Rika secures the 2nd KO of the match.

The card players watching, either up close or on the projector, are buzzing with excitement. This was why they came, this is what they came to watch. A battle of the supreme card players of their city, of their country, going at it. Punch, and counterpunch.

Ryo looks down at just Monodramon in hand. He can easily get to his DZ champion, but he'll need a little more help to secure the win. He reaches for his deck and draws.

He looks at the card for a second, his eyes refusing to believe. He looks across the table at Rika. "Well, Rika, it's been fun. But unfortunately, all good things must come to an end."

Rika doesn't reply but she wears concern on her face.  _ 'What did he draw? What is he going to play?' _

Ryo plays his partner Monodramon onto the field, but in a twist he doesn't Partner Evolve. 

"I've got something bigger in store. Something I couldn't do earlier." He says, smiling from ear to ear. "I play the card Prophecy Digivolve."

' _ No. Freaking. Way.'  _ Rika thinks.

"You know, I heard you knocked out that other girl earlier by playing Death Evolution on her Download card. Bad news, Rika. Death Evolution, nor any card will stop Prophecy Digivolve. But you know that already, don't you?"

Rika is beside herself. She can already see the match ending. She knows how this goes.

Ryo pulls Justimon from his Destiny Zone and places it directly on top of Monodramon. He has 2420 HP and his triangle attack, the hardest of any to counter, is 800 points, enough to kill Growlmon.

Rika doesn't say anything as they enter the battle and support phase. Ryo, with nothing in hand, announces that he will play no support card. Rika pulls her support card out of hand and plays it emphatically.

"I play Potty Boat."

The crowd goes beserk.

Ryo stares in disbelief. Rika narrates, "Monodramon is your partner and because he's in your stack, I get to delete the topmost card and resume battle against whoever is underneath, with them getting their full HP."

Rika reaches across the table, picks Justimon's card up, and places it into the Delete pile. "Because you used Prophecy Digivolve, that means your active digimon is Monodramon. You have the first attack, but Monodramon can't kill Growlmon with any attack. I choose O, and that KOs Monodramon."

The card players around the room begin talking and laughing and celebrating and stomping their feet in frustration. The place has gone off the rails and Mr. Omu attempts to reel them back in. Ryo looks dumbfounded at the playing mat, then slowly looks up at Rika. For the first time since sitting down, she smiles at him.

* * *

A young brunette girl rounds a corner and all of the overhead lights throughout the park begin to illuminate. Right on the dot at 8:00 PM again. Jeri Katou muses at how 10 days ago when she made her last walk, it had barely been dark for a few minutes when the lights came on. Yet 10 days later, it's been dark for almost 15 minutes now.

' _ It's crazy how much changes in such a short period of time. _ '

As Jeri walks she extrapolates that thought out to her life. How much she has changed since returning this summer, further back even, since the Digimon came and went. She looks out around the park. There are less people tonight but there's still a lot going on.

Jeri marches onward through the dimly lit park. She looks up around at the people and places enjoying the end of their summer nights. For the first time, she notices some stand alone fog. It appears out of nowhere and comes in groups around the park. It's humid, and perhaps a storm is coming, but fog? In the middle of this weather? It just doesn't seem to make sense.

Jeri keeps an eye on the peculiar mist. No one else around her notices them. Or maybe they just don't care? A soft cloud floats a few feet in front of her. She slows her pace, almost to a stop. As she observes it a couple comes at her from the other direction. The young man and woman pass right through the cloud in front of Jeri. Just like any fog, it wisps behind them as they pass through, but that's not what catches Jeri's attention. The couple passes through it and it almost seems like their mood changes. They looked upset before, but now they seem, almost, happier? But also more serious? There is a look in their eyes that she can not place.

_ 'I should definitely tell Ms. Scott about this.' _

Jeri watches as the cloud disappears into the ether. She cautiously steps ahead and continues her normal path. It bothers Jeri most that no one else is even taking note of the park. Perhaps this is just a figment of her imagination? But she watched the cloud physically disappear as the couple passed through it.

So many odd things have happened to her in this park. Takato asking her out a year ago, going to the digital world, all the adventures with the boys, Rika teaching her how to play the card game. Fighting evil Digimon.

_ 'Part of me wonders if they're back? Or if they ever even left in the first place?' _

Jeri tries to stop this line of thinking. It is just her grief trying to work it's way out. The thoughts come still, and she is quickly overcome. She stops walking and leans against a tree as she suddenly feels lightheaded.

Silently creeping up from behind, a cloud of fog approaches Jeri. She does not hear it. She does not feel it. Jeri thinks about the evil Digimon. She thinks about this park. She remembers now. She met Leomon in this park. He was so brave and strong. And she has never been that. Her mind flashes of her hero. Her mind flashes of Beelzemon, stabbing him through the abdomen. It flashes to the D Reaper and all the pain it caused her and her friends and her city. The fog gathers behind Jeri. It is large enough to consume her whole.

The image of Beelzemon lingers in her mind. She remembers now. She remembers him trying to save her. She remembers Takato and Rika and Henry coming to save her. The memory of Gallantmon Crimson Mode. The memory of Takato, holding her up, smiling down at her. She remembers her friend's love for her.

_ 'How they never gave up on me.' _

"AHHHHHH! LEAVE ME ALONE!"

Jeri is startled by the scream and whips around. There is no fog behind her. There is only a gaggle of children, running and chasing one another, playing tag. Jeri smiles and steps away from the tree with the heart shaped carving and the letters D + E marked in the center.

The pockets of fog, all of them, are gone.

* * *

"I now present to you, your City Championship Finalist! At the table, having just shocked Ryo Akiyama, is the Digimon Queen herself, Rika Nonaka!"

Part of the crowd whoops and hollers. There is even some booing! That's not really new for Rika though, she is used to the disdain. 

"And now entering, is Danielle Tappler!"

Danielle walks out of the hallway and towards the table. Mr. Omu, on a microphone playing over the entire store, raises his arms in his best display of showmanship.

"Danielle has beaten both Rika and Ryo already tonight, sweeping both! She just needs to win 1 of the next 2 games against Rika to walk out of here as our City Champion!"

Danielle approaches the table to a standing ovation. It's clear to Rika who they want to see win, but she's not worried about it. When Danielle gets within ear shot, Rika raises both of her arms outward and calls out, "Danielle! I never folded." Danielle eyes Rika up, and she continues, "And as you can see, I am  _ not _ dead."

Danielle sits and their matching lilac eyes lock up. With Ryo vanquished, and on a roll, Rika's confidence is sky high. Nothing can stop her now. She blew it against Danielle the first time, but she's the better player. She knows it, Danielle knows it, Mr. Omu knows it, everyone here tonight knows it. Now she's going to show them. After talking as little as possible against Ryo, Rika is ready to chat with Danielle.

Before beginning Mr. Omu asks them to declare their partners. Once again Danielle declares Demidevimon. This time, Rika declares Renamon. This time, Rika inspects Danielle's Destiny Zone and reviews Megidramon along with Devidramon, and finds that Danielle keeps 2 option cards buried in her DZ in case of emergency. Danielle studies Sakuyamon, Kyubimon, Wendigomon, and the option card that Rika keeps in her DZ. They cut each other's deck and Mr. Omu asks them to decide who goes first.

"She won our first game, so I think she deserves the first turn." And they draw.

Danielle pulls Guilmon, MetalGreymon, Immortalize, Ryudamon, and Dracomon. On her draw she gets Level Crush. No champions, no partner, but with MetalGreymon she sees a great opportunity to steal a first fight KO. She plays Guilmon, puts Ryudamon in the DP and ends her turn.

Rika holds Renamon, Giga Cannon, Chainsaw, Rapidmon (Armor), Training Manuel, and after drawing Dark Wings. A thought comes to mind. She looks up at Danielle before playing anything.

"Do you know what was the most important lesson I learned from my first adventures with Renamon?" She plays Renamon from her hand.

She places Rapidmon (Amor) into her DP. "It’s this simple. Listen close, I don’t want you to miss it."

Danielle, against her better judgement, stops thinking about strategy and listens to the redhead. Her full attention on her opponent, Rika speaks, "A digimon is no slave."

' _ A digimon is no slave?'  _ The words reverberate around Danielle's mind. What was Rika getting at? What was she trying to say?

"You've got 1 Champion and 2 option cards in your DZ. He's your lone non-Dragon card. Demidevimon is a tool for you, not a partner. You use him to speed things up or get out of holes. Renamon, on the other hand, was my partner. We were equals. Once you start treating your partner like your equal, you'll see it all change for you."

Danielle feels this critique deep. She is being mocked by the Digimon Queen. The person she already beat. And who she'll beat again. "My cards aren't real digimon, they're just cards. And I'll use these cards to beat you and walk out of here the City Champion."

As they enter the battle phase, Danielle is fueled by this fire. She observes her cards, Renamon, and determines that she's going to kill the Queen again. She chooses O and sets the plan in motion.

They enter the support Phase. Rika plays Dark Wings and this emboldens Danielle.  _ ‘Rika is trying to keep Renamon alive, so let's prevent that with the first attack.’ _ She plays MetalGreymon as her support, giving Guilmon an additional 600 points in damage. 

Rika smiles at this and reveals her attack choice: X, which for Renamon, meant that she would counter the attack if Danielle chose O. The choices show up. Guilmon's attack is countered back at him, and instead Rika secures the KO and Renamon's HP goes to exactly 1,000.

Danielle is stunned, Rika is smug, and the crowd is excited. Danielle is forced to play Dracomon from her hand to replace Guilmon and draws.

She pulls Demidevimon and is elated that she'll get the chance to show Rika her real power. Danielle does nothing else and then enters the support phase. Danielle uses X to try to block Renamon's O attack.

In the support phase, Danielle plays nothing. Rika plays Giga Cannon. Danielle can't believe her eyes. She can only hope Rika chose O as her attack. Rika trashes 6 and Renamon's attack power becomes equal to Renamon's HP. Rika suspected that Danielle would choose her X, so Rika chose Triangle instead. Renamon loses some HP to Dracomon's attack, but it still hits for 830 and secures Rika a second consecutive KO.

Danielle is distraught, while Rika shakes her head in disappointment. ' _ How did I lose to you before? How did you sweep Ryo?' _

Danielle plays Demidevimon from her hand and partner evolves him to Devidramon. Rika draws Megachip. She doesn't have exactly enough to finish off Devidramon, but she sees a strategy unfolding. She can tell that Danielle is reeling. Rika decides to fish out Danielle's best cards.

They get to the support phase and Rika plays first. She places Chainsaw down. Her attack power will be tripled, but her HP will be 10 after this phase. Danielle sees it played first and knows she only has one choice. It's not ideal, but it's the only thing she has. She plays Immortalize in return, a Firewall card that blocks Rika's Chainsaw, at the cost of all of Danielle's DP.

When the attacks are revealed though, Rika chose X again. And Danielle chose O again. Rika counters Devidramon's attack back at him, knocking his HP down to 580, while Renamon sits at 830 still. Rika's trap worked perfectly. Danielle thought she was going for the KO, and thus she played her best card in hand to block it. Now she is wide open 

Danielle draws and it's Megadramon. The card is a brick in her hand. If she hadn't used Immortalize just then, it would be perfect. But she had, so she can't do anything with it. She only has one choice. She plays Level Crush. She removes Devidramon from the pile and now is using Demidevimon, but his HP is doubled, up to 980. She needs to buy some time to survive.

Danielle does not support and that's all Rika needs. She plays Mega Chip, allowing her to raise her attack power by 600 if she trashes 3 from her deck. Rika does and reveals Renamon's attack as O, which is worth 380. With Megachip, it becomes exactly 980 and KOs Demidevimon.

The crowd is at a fever pitch, while Danielle is defeated. Rika gathers her cards back up and mentally prepares for the last game. Renamon single-handedly won her that match, but there's still 1 more game to be played.

Rika shuffles her deck and looks up at Danielle still stunned. The blonde, pale girl slowly reaches for her cards and gathers them back up. Rika senses it. There's blood in the water. As both girls shuffle their decks, Rika speaks to her. "I know what it's like to lose."

Danielle is alarmed to hear Rika talking to her again. She is so shellshocked by the devastating defeat she is having a hard time concentrating. Rika continues, "To feel so desperately that you're right, yet to fail nonetheless. It’s frightening. Turns the legs to jelly. I ask you, to what end? Dread it, run from it, destiny arrives all the same. And now it’s here. Or should I say… I am?"

Danielle is scared beyond belief. She is terrified of what Rika is about to do to her, what she just did. Danielle tempted fate by proclaiming that she killed the Digimon Queen earlier. Now Rika has come back and is about to crush her beneath her heel. The first place prize money for her mother seems further away with each passing second.

But something within her roars. She feels the inner strength build. She speaks confidently to Rika as she shuffles, "I feel like I've been preparing all of my life for this moment."

Now Danielle has Rika's undivided attention. "I've practiced and played and beat so many people for this moment. I've outdueled people all over this city. I've won locals, and regional tournaments. I beat you and Ryo. I've beaten my best friends and knocked them out of tournaments. All that, so I can get here and beat you."

"All that, so I can kill the Digimon Queen."

Rika laughs to herself, "You're a good player and you've done well to get to this point. With a dragon deck, no less. But you lack faith."

Rika pauses a beat and let's it sink in. She continues,"Faith in destiny. Faith in fate. I am meant for this. I am built for this. I went to the Digital World, I saved the world, I had a partner. I am a digidestined, and I will not be stopped here."

She places her deck in front of Danielle. As she does, something vibrates at her side. She feels her phone going off. It's probably her mother wondering where she is. She reaches down and presses the button on the side to silence it.

Danielle places her deck in front of Rika. She stares at Rika with a blazing fire burning in her violet pools. She cuts Rika's deck and hisses, "You do not have the strength to survive the wrath of the dragon."

Rika whispers back, "I  _ am _ the dragon."

* * *

Rika starts by playing Terriermon and the Digimental of Fate, digivolving him to Rapidmon (Armor). Danielle plays Dracomon and after the second turn ends, Rika secures the first KO when Danielle can't digivolve. Danielle is discouraged but not defeated.

On the ensuing turn, Danielle digivolves to Veedramon and is able to KO a battered Rapidmon (Amor). Her confidence returns with her first KO over Rika since their first match. Rika feels her phone buzz again and this time reaches into her pocket to silence it for good. This is the most important match she has played in years, her mother can wait a few minutes longer.

Rika passes on playing Renamon when she has the chance, and instead plays Tapirmon and digivolves him to Chrysalimon. She takes a big hit from Veedramon but secures the KO nonetheless. Rika leads 2-1 after the first 4 turns.

Her back against the wall and only one card in hand, Danielle draws Demidevimon. Rika's words ring in her ear.  _ 'A digimon is no slave _ .' She partner evolves to Devidramon, then counterpunches to KO Chrysalimon. The match is tied at 2-2.

The time has come and Rika plays Renamon, immediately partner evolving to Kyubimon. Neither player can secure the game winning KO in the first round, but on Danielle's ensuing turn, she draws the card she needs to get Megadramon on the field. 

Danielle, confidence soaring as high as Megadramon's wings will take her, goes for the killstroke. But Rika is prepared. She blocks the attack with Disruption Ray, changing the Danielle's attack choice to something far weaker.

Rika draws Level Crush and, just like Danielle in their last match, feels this is her best bet to keep the match going. She dedigivolves to Renamon, but doubles her HP. Rika successfully using Renamon's counter ability on Megadramon to keep widdle away at his HP, while also finally playing Training Manuel to restock her hand.

With no cards in hand and Megadramon growing weaker, Danielle's luck feels all but run out. She goes to draw and reflects on Rika's words about destiny. ' _ Here she is. And here I go.'  _ She draws Hisharyumon against all odds.

_ 'Perhaps fate is on  _ my _ side?' _

She DNA digivolves the two again and now plays Megidramon on the field. Rika can't believe it. Danielle had no cards in hand. The chances of her pulling a copy of that card at this stage? Rika flashes back to facing Megidramon in the Digital World. Renamon and Takato and Jeri and Kenta and everyone else. Now she faced the maniac dragon again, with just her partner at her side. The Rookie against the Mega.

Rika would feel more discouraged, but Training Manuel has just restocked her hand full of option cards to help with this exact situation. She starts by playing Lesson Plan and negating both player's attacks.

Rika draws and pulls the option card she put in her deck specifically for Megidramon, Mystery Egg. It's her ace in the hole, but it won't do her any good until she has something to fight the dragon with. This turn she attaches Magic Word to Renamon and in the support phase she plays Whistle. Because of her lower level, she gets to void Megidramon's attack.

On Danielle's turn she draws Black Hole, her Ace card that she used to crush Rika with in their first match. Rika still has 4 cards in hand, so Danielle expects her attack to be voided again, but this can't keep up much longer. She plays Black Hole and guesses correct on Magic Word. She also guesses correct that Rika would void her attack, as Rika plays Silver Ball, the last of her support cards to block Megidramon.

It's Rika's turn now. Her hand consists of another copy of Digimental of Fate, Taomon, and Mystery Egg. She has 0 points in her DP and thanks to Black Hole, Renamon's HP is now just 200. She's knocked Megidramon down to 760, but there's almost nothing left in her deck to save her now.

_ 'You should fold now, save yourself the embarrassment.' _

Danielle's words from their first match ring in her ears. She thinks back to that crushing defeat. She thinks again about what Danielle has said to her tonight.

'You _ do not have the strength to survive the wrath of the dragon.' _

Perhaps Danielle was right. Perhaps Rika wasn't the dragon after all. All this talk of destiny and fate. Of being a digidestined. What did any of it mean?

_ 'It has to mean something. It can't be for nothing. _ '

Rika had a thought. She felt like fate was a wave. Crashing endlessly onto the shore. It comes and goes. It is forever crashing into us and returning us to the ocean. Rika determines that she will be like the wave, and crash.  _ 'Return to the ocean _ .'

Rika draws and holds up Prophecy Digivolve. She looks across at the lilac eyes watching her. Her heart beats into her throat. She plays the digivolve card and summons Sakuyamon onto the field. Danielle is distraught, the card players watching are on the edge of their seats. 

Rika chooses her X attack. Danielle uses Megidramon's passive to change his type to Nightmare, safe from Sakuyamon's various damage increase abilities. However, in the support phase, Rika plays Mystery Egg. While Megidramon can change his type  _ before _ the support phase, Mystery Egg changes both players' types  _ during  _ the Support phase to Enigma. Sakuyamon's X attack gains triple damage. Sakuyamon kills Megidramon and Rika secures the third and final KO.

The crowd erupts. Rika looks around and finds Ryo sitting in the front row, a serious but amused look on his face, clapping for her slowly.

Rika looks back at Danielle, who slumps in her chair. Rika can't help but smile herself.

_ 'And  _ that  _ is destiny fulfilled.' _

* * *

“Suzie! It’s 8:30! Almost time for bed!”

Janyu Wong shouts this from the couch next to his wife. Down the hallway his youngest daughter yells something indiscernible back. Mayumi has her hand on his chest and holds him close. They’ve been watching some television for the last hour or so, idly. Despite wanting to sink into the couch cushions for the rest of his days, Janyu forces himself up.

He turns to Mayumi, and says, “I’m gonna go get started.”

She replies, “Good luck. Try to be productive so that we can enjoy the rest of this weekend.”

He nods and moves towards the computer room. Janyu had told his wife earlier that he has a presentation on Monday, but doesn’t want to wait until Sunday to finish it and lose all that free time. Instead, he’s going to work on it Friday night so that it’s just out of the way.

He stops in the hallway at Suzie’s door, and pushes the door slightly. Inside he watches Suzie play with her large Terriermon and Lopmon dolls, talking to them, or herself. He smiles at her, but leaves her alone.

As Janyu walks towards the computer room his memory flashes back. Henry at sunset, his eyes watering, shaking his head at his father. His children returning home this summer, their friend dead. The guilt builds and builds, knowing that he took the digimon away, which drove them to return, endangered all of them, and killed a boy.  _ ‘What if it had been Henry? Or Suzie?’  _ He had been reckless, and he could not allow for that again. He could not let someone else pay for his mistakes.

He enters the dark computer room, and closes the door behind him until it is a crack open. He sits down, and logs in. As the computer loads, he leans in his chair to peer out the crack in the door. He pulls his cell phone from his pocket and pulls up the contact.

_ Ring… ring… ring… _

The voice on the other end of the line is cutting, “You’re late.”

Janyu rolls his eyes. “It hasn’t even been 5 minutes, Mitsuo. Forgive me for taking a moment to be with my wife.”

Yamaki replies, “We have a lot of work to do before our meeting with her next Saturday.”

“I’m aware and we’ll be ready. I know what needs to be done tonight.”

The two talk for a few minutes longer. Janyu hangs up and gets to work on his project for the rest of the night.

* * *

Rika Nonaka steps into the back employee-only hallway for the last time. Mr. Omu had just ushered the last of the audience out and handed her the top prize envelope, with 55 thousand yen inside of it. The money is nice, but Rika doesn’t really care for it. She looks towards the exit sign and her way home. She looks towards the opposite end of the hallway and finds Danielle packing her belongings up.

Danielle packs her bag and thinks about the prize money she’s won.  _ ‘At least I can help Mom somewhat. She’ll be shocked! 27.5 thousand yen will be incredible and I can tell such an amazing story about  _ almost  _ winning.’ _

Rika had dismantled this girl in front of so many of their peers, but just like with Alice, she wanted to offer an olive branch of sorts. She approaches the girl and says, “Hey. That was a great tournament.”

Danielle looks up shocked to find Rika talking to her. She had just been so fierce and imposing during their match. Now she just stood before her like any girl. “Thanks? It must have been really great for you. Plus all that prize money.”

Rika looks down at the envelope at this comment. An idea pops into her head. She extends the envelope to Danielle, “Here. You can have it.”

“What?” Danielle is still as a statue looking at Rika’s extended hand.

“Yeah. Take it, I don’t need it. My family is well off enough as it is. Use this to get better cards, get better, and come back stronger.”

Rika shakes her hand to entice Danielle to take it. Danielle reaches out gingerly and grabs it. “I want you and all your friends out here trying to knock me off. I mean, of course none of you ever will, but it's the thrill of the challenge for me.”

Danielle is speechless. She doesn’t know what to say. ‘ _ She has no idea what this means to me. 82.5 thousand yen?!’  _ One thing comes to mind and she blurts out, “Thank you. Thank you so, so much. I can’t… I don’t know. Just, thank you.”

Rika turns away and takes a few steps before stopping. A thought comes to mind. She turns on spot and stares at Danielle until Danielle gives Rika her full attention. Rika speaks, “You know, there’s a lot of reasons to love dragons. They can breathe fire and beat the strongest heroes. Lay waste to armies and fly us to faraway places. They seem invincible, even when we try our hardest.”

She pauses and Danielle’s eyes slip away, staring off into the distance as she thinks about what Rika’s said. She starts up again, “But that’s the beauty of dragons, because the only stories you hear about dragons… are ones where the dragon gets killed in the end.”

She pauses again, and Danielle’s lilac eyes swim again in Rika’s own lilac. They stare at each other until Rika speaks again, “Usually by some upstart nobody, who works up the courage and finally outsmarts the dragon.”

“Thank you, Rika.”

Rika smiles at her, “Good night, Danielle.”

“Oh, you can call me Dany. I hate being called Danielle, actually. All my friends call me Dany.”

“Alright, well, good night, Dany.”

Rika walks to the exit and smiles to herself about the good deed she has done and the kind words she has said. She reaches into her pocket and pulls out her phone just as she’s at the door.

8 MISSED CALLS.

Rika goes through the call log.

Goggle Head - 31 MINUTES AGO

Goggle Head - 26 MINUTES AGO

Goggle Head - 19 MINUTES AGO

Goggle Head - 15 MINUTES AGO

Goggle Head - 11 MINUTES AGO

Goggle Head - 8 MINUTES AGO

Goggle Head - 5 MINUTES AGO

Goggle Head - 3 MINUTES AGO

Rika calls him back without hesitation, excited to tell him the conclusion of her tournament. She only texted him when she lost her first match.  _ Ring _ …  _ Ring _ … Rika briefly thinks about that text.  _ ‘Wait, did I ever text him?’... Ring…  _

“Rika?”

“Takato! Oh my gosh, I’m sorry, but wait till you hear about this tournament! It was amazing and high stakes and-”

“She’s dead, Rika.”

Rika feels all the air taken out of her lungs. He keeps going. “She died alone. My aunt is dead. I’ve been calling you. And I just… I needed you. So bad. And you weren’t there. She’s dead and there was nothing I could do.”

Rika’s head swings around, but she isn’t moving at all. “Takato, I-”

The line cuts. He hung up on her. Rika stares in disbelief. For a few moments she feels like her feet are made of cement. Slowly she pushes the exit open. She looks up and stares at the night sky. A million points of light stare down at her. She wonders about the beauty of that light in the dark. She watches the twinkling stars, unsure of what to do or say or feel.

Her phone buzzes. She looks down hastily, hoping Takato is calling back. He is not. It’s a text message.

FROM _ :  _ Ryo Akyiama   
MESSAGE: It was awesome to see you get your mojo back, in person. Nice work, DQ.

Rika puts her phone away. She can’t shake the feeling that someone is watching her. Perhaps because she was watched for the last few hours. Perhaps it's because she let Takato down. She puts her head down and starts walking in the direction of home.

High above Rika, up in the night sky, the million points of light twinkle in the darkness. Slowly, one by one, each of them goes out. Slowly the night sky becomes a black void.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Please google "V Mundi" and find Alice White's work over the last few years creating and maintaining Digi-Battle Evolution. It's absolutely amazing. I started this story Halloween 2019, and didn't find out about the new, official TCG until I was very deep into this chapter. Our card tournament here played as faithfully to her rules as possible. A (probably not) comprehensive list of rule changes to meet narrative purposes: No Mulligan's allowed, when under 3 cards you still only draw 1, created Prophecy Digivolve card, created BlackWarGreymon card, created Rapidmon (Armor) card, created Digimental of Fate card, Sakuyamon card adapted (all stats & effects stolen from Boltmon), Justimon card adapted (all stats & effects stolen from Alphamon), I think I missed a recode that Taomon allows. It took 10 days of research to get this 100% right so please forgive some of the rule fudging. I charted every card, every hand of every match so if you found that super interesting and want to see the full breakdown just request so in a review or PM! Also, Rika, the Digimon Queen, is really basic with her strats. So are Ryo and Dany. Everyone except Alice, who has advanced techniques and just gets undone with pure, dumb luck on Rika's side. Alice's style is more fit for the actual game. Consider downloading and playing the tabletop! Alice made an amazing product for our fandom and we are so lucky to have it and her! 
> 
> This chapter’s OST is "Up the Wolves" by the Mountain Goats.
> 
> Love always. Rukato Forever.
> 
> Notorious


	4. After Life

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rika and Takato attend a funeral

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Part of the journey is the end. Love and be loved. Read… and review!

#  After Life

Rika Nonaka tries to think about nothing.   
  
She tries really,  _ really  _ hard to not think about anything at all. Let her mind be a blank slate. Focus on the air flowing around her. Stare out into the overcast sky.  _ 'Don't think about anything.'  _ Without meaning to though her mind slowly drifts off to the Digital World.   
  
Her mind flutters over the blank darkness, the empty void of disappearing. She thinks about that moment now. Gallantmon with his lance penetrated through her as Sakuyamon. Begging him to be strong and kill her. They had been so poetic and romantic in that moment.  _ 'We wanted it to have meaning.' _   
  
But then, with the close of his hand, the Darkness had killed her.   
  
It had been such an odd thing. The nothingness of death. One moment she was there. The next moment she was gone. It had happened so quickly. Like a violent wind. She was gone. It scared her to think that was the same fate awaiting her at the end of her life. That she would again, someday, pass into nothing. She would simply stop being.   
  
All of her life, she has been inundated with images of life after death. A traditional heaven, or not, or rebirth, or maybe reincarnation, or maybe purgatory, or maybe something else entirely. A good place, and a bad place. That was the sum of it. It is strange, knowing what is awaiting her and everyone else. It has been the great question of time, one that philosophers have debated for centuries, yet she had experienced it herself, along with Henry and Ryo.   
  
‘ _ Or have I?’ _   
  
She thinks about the 'golden gates' that Takato had described to her once. What he had seen when he saw Kazu. Rika was never sure what to do with that information. Kazu is dead. Rika is alive. When Rika died, she felt nothing. There were no golden gates, no hills or stairs that turned into clouds. She simply was not anymore. Until suddenly she was again.   
  
And on the few times, on cloudy, gloomy days when she was left alone with her thoughts for too long, and she thought about it, it was odd. Kazu died and went somewhere. Rika died and nothing happened. Then she came back. But Kazu didn't. And to complicate everything more they were in a digital world where everyone is just bits of data.   
  
_ ‘What if seeing Kazu was just a dream for Takato?’ _   
  
Yet Rika, Henry, and Ryo had all come to Takato's dreams at various times as well, so it would be foolish to think Kazu couldn't, or to just dismiss it to Takato's imagination coming up with the exact answer to the Darkness.

_ 'So did I really die? Did Kazu really die? Did Takato's aunt really die? Does  _ anyone  _ ever really die?’ _

No sun breaks through the clouds today. Rika Nonaka is dressed in all black, and feels sticky. It's not very hot out, but the humidity is very high. She feels herself sweating and tries to ignore it. Amongst the small gathering of people, Rika feels she can't be alone in being uncomfortable. She stands in the cemetery, holding Takato's hand. She stares out into the cold, grey sky and tries to not think about anything. Her mind drifts off again.

Rika shifts her weight to her other foot. She finds herself thinking about Takato's aunt. She thinks about how she didn't know this person at all. She never met her, barely knew she existed, yet here Rika was, at the site of her funeral, part of the group meant to remember her life. Part of the 'dearly beloved' meant to pay respect to the 'dearly departed.'

Rika questions how close Takato was to his aunt as she feels sweat slide down her spine. ' _ I mean, he never even mentioned her until recently, so how close could his family be with her if I didn't know about her after nearly a year of dating.'  _

_ 'But do we always tell each other about our families?  _ Everything  _ about our families?' _

Rika’s mind wanders to the first funeral she attended. She was so young when her mother dressed her in all black, and she doesn’t really remember much. The sun shining, wind blowing, no sweat, at least that she can remember. Her mother didn’t cry, her GrandMa didn’t cry. Rika thinks about the vivid memory, starting to walk away from the grave, and turning back. Her mother, stealing a glance, one last look. ‘ _ What did Mom think about in that moment? Did she have final thoughts? Things she wish she had said to him? Does Mom miss him? What does Mom think will happen after we die? Does she think we’ll just disappear, or does she think there’s something after?’  _

Rika has never told Takato about any of this. This memory, locked away deep in a vault in her mind. She wonders why she hasn’t shared that with Takato. She reflects on how maybe his relationship with his aunt was deeper than she thought. She wonders what else she keeps buried away from him. She wonders what memories he is forming right now, in this exact moment, about life and death. She wonders about Kazu.

The last funeral she attended, just a few months ago. Unlike the one she’s at now or her first one, Kazu’s funeral represented something different for all of them. He was someone she and all of their friends were close with. It had been so painful and hard on all of them. Most of all Kazu’s parents, who didn’t even have a body to bury.  _ ‘Saying goodbye with no thing to say goodbye to. No time, no chance, no body, no bones, no ash, no dust. Like he vanished into thin air. How do you even let go when there was no body to even let go of?’  _

Rika steals a sideways look at Takato and shifts her weight to her other foot again. She wonders if he has forgiven himself yet for what happened to Kazu. Everything that had happened with the Darkness, it was months ago now, but it feels like it is still happening to Rika. Like she is still a prisoner in her body to it. That her life is not her own still.

Rika thinks about what happened with Takato and Kazu after she was killed. According to Takato, he went to sleep and dreamt of seeing Kazu. Kazu gave him a speech about using the goodness in his heart to fight the evil. That Lightness then saved Takato, and her, and all of them. Yet Rika has not seen that lightness herself. She has not seen it since Kazu's funeral. She has not seen it since the moment they stepped off that ark and Takato wept into the arms of Kazu's mother.

_ 'We all cried at his funeral. Not one of us could keep it together.' _

Rika tilts her bowed head to briefly look at the other attendees. She doesn't want to stare or be caught peeping at other people. It felt rude and crass. When she looks around at this funeral, however, she finds only dry eyes. No one was crying at this funeral. She thinks about what Takato said to her.

_ 'She died alone.' _

Rika raises her bowed head fully and stares out at the grey sky and feels the wind blow. She feels the Earth turning forward. The clouds in the sky slowly transform and move across the skyline. The world is still turning, life is still going on, even as Rika feels eternally rooted to this plot of land. 

_ 'I wonder if people will cry when I —' _

_ Squish! _

Rika looks down at her hand and realizes that Takato has squeezed it tightly to get her attention. She lazily traces the arm up to his almond eyes. He seems concerned. He gives her a look almost as if to say, 'Are you okay?'

She nods her head to reassure him. His eyes linger for a few more seconds before returning to the ground. Rika bows her own head again as well. She refocuses.

She thinks about the boy beside her, who has brought her such light. Rika does not have time to be sad. She does not have time to completate what happens to us when we die. In order for his light to endure and survive, she needs to be strong. She has to help carry the cross for him, if not carry it herself at times. 

' _ Until he can carry it again on his own.' _

* * *

Silently and slowly the Matsuki family plus Rika walk back towards the parked car. The ceremony is over, the casket lowered, and the memorial service is waiting. As they walk a voice from behind grabs their attention.

"Yoshie!"

All members of their party stop in they're tracks and turn around. A tall, rugged fellow approaches. He has short, dark hair and wears a black button down shirt that is not tucked in. Rika briefly recalls Takato pointing him out earlier as his uncle. Ms. Matsuki is visibly upset and so she breaks off from the group to confront her brother.

He projects his voice, as if he wants them to hear. "Yoshie, we have to talk about–"

Ms. Matsuki speaks in hushed tones, trying to privatize the conversation quickly. "Honestly, this isn't the time."

Rika hears this part before Mr. Matsuki steps between the children and the adult argument, "C'mon kids, let's get to the car."

As Rika turns away she continues to try and eavesdrops. Ms. Matsuki speaks louder this time, "We just buried our sister. Honestly, let's focus on that and leave out all the rest."

As they slowly walk away, Takato and Rika exchange sideways eye contact and a look on their face to mark this down for discussion later on.

* * *

"Maybe you can find a computer club to join?" His mother asks.

"Maybe…" he replies without much thought.

The mother sat on the couch, idly watching the afternoon movie on TV, not really paying attention but following along all the same. The young boy sat cross legged on the living room floor, pulling the old computer monitor into his lap. He reaches back for the screwdriver and swiftly unscrews each corner. When he is done, he pulls the panel off to reveal the inner workings of the machine.

' _ Oof, terrible condition.'  _

Kenta Kitagawa began playing with the insides of the old console. His mother keeps his company and asks questions about starting high school in just a few days.

"Which of your friends will be there with you again? Takato and…," she trails off trying to think of the other's names.

"I'm not really friends with them anymore." He replies absentmindedly.

"Oh? But you just saw that Henry the other day. And that boy with the big hair."

"Ryo."

"Ryo! Yes, that's the one. What about them?"

"Yeah, they're still my friends, but I don't really see Takato anymore. And Rika is going to a different school anyway."

"Hm." Akemi replies.

_ 'And Rika never liked me anyway. Always made fun of me and Kazu for not being smart or how it took us so long to become Tamers.' _

Rika's open disdain for Kenta certainly led to his isolation from her. Subsequently, as a result of their near year of dating, Takato was a casualty of that breakaway as well. However, losing his friendship with Ryo was not premeditated. Instead, it was a byproduct of his new obsession with computers. 

Over the summer months, Kenta has learned to break down and rewire computers. It was so fun and interesting to him, and it was different. His very own  _ thing.  _ It gave him an identity outside of the Tamers or Digidestined or whatever they wanted to call themselves now.

Kenta wasn't sure why it became computers. _'Maybe it was because of Guardromon and wanting to remember Kazu?_ _Or maybe it's because Henry was always interested in them too?'_ Henry was still his good friend and Kenta hoped that would stay. Henry liked messing with computers too. Henry understood him in that way. 

After losing Kazu, the only person who really understood him, things hadn't been easy for Kenta. Losing his very closest friend, then self-isolating from some others, it just was a rough go for him. Kenta sometimes wondered if he was happy about it or not. 

_ 'Is it okay to leave that friend group behind when I get to high school? After everything we did together? Do I even still  _ want _ to associate with them now that Kazu's gone? Is Kazu's memory the only reason I still associate with them at all?' _

Kenta picks and plays with the innards of the computer. Trying to improve it. Trying to perfect it. Trying to stay busy. Trying to not think about his friends and their history and the new friends he could make soon enough.

* * *

"And then, after that, she had to play against her arch nemesis, Ryo Akiyama, who's actually like a super good friend of ours but the two of them butt heads a lot. But anyway, she lost this big championship to him 3 years ago, so this was like a huge deal!"

Takato's cousin Kai nods his head and eyes dart between Takato and Rika, sitting at the table with them at the memorial. The young boy is highly engaged and wants to know how it ends.

"And she kicked his butt too! It wasn't even close!"

"No way!"

"It was a little tougher than that."

"She totally killed him! He never saw it coming."

"This is awesome! What happened next?"

"It was a nice win." She admitted.

"Then she played that Dragon girl again, right Rika?"

"Twice."

"Twice?"

"Twice! She played her twice! And she swept her the first time!"

Rika is relieved at this moment. It's nice that they can remember her victory positively. She had worried walking home that night that the memory of the tournament would be poisoned by her failure to be there for Takato. 

"And in the final match, she had to pull out every trick she could, but she did it! She won!"

"Oh man, that's amazing!"

"It was nothing."

"Nothing? Pfft! Rika has more skill than anyone in the city, and probably more than anyone in the country, or even the world!"

"I'll say! What do you think led you to winning?"

Rika smiles and thinks about some of the conversations she had with Dany that night. "All these other card players talk about it, but we lived it. We had real partners. We understand digimon in ways that they never will."

Takato is skeptical. "Egh, I mean, sure, but it's your experience and superior cards and ability that helped you win."

Takato thinks about what really put Rika over the top that night. ' _ She's so smart, and confident. And that's so intimidating for other people! She won because of her hard work and rare cards.' _

Rika doesn't agree with this at all. ' _ I am just blessed to win. I wasn't worthy, but I won anyway.'  _ She rejects Takato's suggestion summarily, "No amount of experience helps you draw the right cards at the right time."

Takato tilts his head at her reply, surprised to hear it. Kai also looks confused but waits for her to go on. "My superior cards only mattered because destiny willed it. We're digidestined, Takato. That's why I won."

This doesn't sit right with Takato. The notion of being a 'digidestined' had never sat right with him. Hearing it continue to play out in his life to simply explain away why things happen in life wasn't going to pass. "Destiny helps people believe there's an order to the world, but there isn't."

This could have been worded better. Even Kai is a little put off by how Takato said what he just said. Kai wants to interject but Rika is talking before he could form any words, "What are you talking about? After all we've been through, I think you have to believe that we're fated for something else."

Both boys pay Rika their full attention. She continues, "Life has a higher calling for all of us."

Takato thinks back to their various adventures. Suzie pushing him into the portal, meeting BlackAgumon, Kazu coming to him in his sleep.  _ 'How does she not see it?'  _ These were words that he could not leave unsaid, "All we've been through has convinced me that we aren't special. We've just gotten unbelievably lucky time and again."

Rika is angry now.  _ 'How does he not see it?' _ The speech was one she had rehearsed many times in her mind, "We've spent years of our lives fighting evil Digimon."

She pauses and lets the words sink in. "So many villains have tried to kill us, I can't even remember all of them now."

Her argumentative, confrontational side roars to life, "We watched loved ones die."

The memories of Kazu's stone statue flashes to mind. Leomon being deleted. "We've been attacked and surprised. Chained and betrayed. But what kept us standing through all of that?" 

Four eyes and ears wait for Rika Nonaka to go on. She leans in. "Destiny."

"We are digidestined. We had partners. We are chosen."

Takato completely disagrees. His mind highlights all the same instances that Rika has referenced. He shakes his head, "We weren't chosen for anything. We made all of that happen by our own actions. Nothing was ever done for us, we did those things ourselves."

Rika's lilac eyes stare flames into Takato's almond ones. His eyes and facial expression are a shield against the flames, protecting and blocking. He is not moved by her will, nor she by his passion. They both feel right. They both feel the other is wrong. Without realizing it, they each hold their breath waiting for the next words to be spilled.

_ COUGH _

Kai raises a fist to cover his mouth. The lovers relinquish their eye contact and let in a deep breath as they remember there is another at the table.

Kai speaks up after faking a cough to break the tension, "I'm going to go get something to drink." He scoots back in his chair and gets up to walk away. "I'll be back later." He promises.

Takato sat with the heavy aftermath of their public argument. He looks around at his family and family friends all around the room. They are all mired in their own mix of conversation and silence. Takato wants to move past whatever that just was with Rika but he isn't sure what to say.

_ 'Why was I so mean to her about it even?' _

He wants to apologize but can't think of what to say. Even though he is sorry for how he said it, he ultimately isn't sorry for what he said. ' _ So what do I even say?' _

"Hey."

Takato snaps out of his daze and looks across the table at the red headed beauty. "We made the face earlier."

"What face?" Takato asks in earnest confusion.

"The face we make when we think something is weird, and we'll talk about it later. That face."

"I made that face?"

"Yeah, we both did. When your uncle talked to you Mom, at the cemetery."

"Oh yeah! That was so weird. My Mom was so secretive. She's not normally like that."

"Yeah, I wonder why? What do you think it was about?"

"I'm not sure. All I heard her say was something about 'leave out all the rest.'"

"What do you think she meant by that?"

Takato is pensive a moment. Leaving out all the rest would mean forgetting the good and bad that we do in life. Takato isn't sure how that applied to his aunt. Nonetheless, Rika is looking for his thoughts so he tries to give them, "I think my Mom wants to try to remember the good, and forget the bad. I'm… not sure about that though."

Rika feels that she agrees with Takato, but wants to understand why. Both why Takato thinks that and why she thinks it. "What aren't you sure about?"

Rika's voice is calm, collected, caring. Takato feels safe around her and tries to give more developed thoughts, "I just, I don't know. I don't think we get to just forget about the negative things we do after we die. The Darkness showed me that my negative emotions had consequences."

Hearing Takato talk about his battle with the Darkness is triggering for Rika. She had not been able to help him fight it. She had died because of it. She had gone to nothing. She wasn't there when Takato's aunt passed.  _ 'She died alone. _ ' Rika feels herself tensing up again. 

"I… don't know if I agree," she starts. She wants to shift focus. ' _ But why? He's finally talking about those experiences!'  _ But they are negative things. These are 'hard lessons learned' and Rika wants Takato to have positive vibes only. She wants to restore the light to Takato. "The dead are gone and can't speak for themselves. We should be respectful and think about what good they did."

' _ What? What is she talking about?'  _ Takato is shocked to hear this from Rika. She's so smart and they are so often on the same page. ' _ Except recently we've been anything  _ but  _ on the same page. Feels like we don't see anything the same anymore.' _ Takato searches for the right words to say to explain what he means. He leans in, "Rika, we can't just dismiss that people's lives affect others. We can't just erase that my aunt may have done something to hurt my Mom or uncle."

He leans back out and her violet eyes still capture his, "People's deaths give meaning to us. It's up to us to find that meaning."

"People's  _ lives  _ give their life meaning, not their death." Rika says, and she leans back as well, stuffing her hands into her pockets. "And I don't think things always end poetically. Sometimes they just end, and people make poetry out of it."

Truthfully, Rika isn't even sure what she's saying anymore. She feels like the more she talks it out, the more she feels she agrees with Takato. But a part of her still feels like she is right on principle still. Now there's a line in the sand and she's not sure she can cross it. She's dug her heels in and now she is on the other end of a philosophical tug of war with Takato. 

' _ And why am I even arguing about this? I just want him to be happy.' _

Deep down, what Rika really wants, is for Takato to remember his aunt positively. She wants Takato to remember Kazu positively.

Takato doesn't know what to say either. He feels that if he persists with the issue it would only get worse. He is scared that Rika is right, that it wouldn't be a beautiful ending, where they came to understand one another. Instead, perhaps it might just end.

* * *

It isn't late yet, but the clouds cast shadows that deceive the mind. Rika Nonaka stares out the car window contemplating life and death. She was tired of trying to not think about anything. It hasn't worked anyway. Instead, Rika has willingly dived into the deep end of the pool. Imagining her own death, it felt more like a memory than an event that has yet to happen. She catches herself trying to remember her father's funeral. Her GrandMa and mother are chatting in the front seat about this or that. Rika decides to interject.

"Mom," she starts. The women in the front seats stop their conversation and Rumiko looks in the rearview mirror at her daughter.

"Yes, Rika?"

"How did Dad die?"

Rika is unaware of how loaded the question is for the elder women. They exchange a sideways glance at one another. "Well, Rika, why would you want to know about that?" Rumiko asks.

Seiko cuts in, speaking quietly, although Rika hears loud and clear. "She just came from a funeral, Rumi, what kind of question is that?"

Rumiko replies quickly, "It's an important question, Mom!"

Rika keeps her eyes out the window. The grey sky and the fog rolling into the city made vision somewhat limited. "I just don't remember much. It feels like one day he was here and the next he was gone."

"Well, Rika, you were so young," Rumiko starts. "I'm not surprised you feel that way."

"Was he sick? Do we know how he died?"

Rumiko and Seiko again exchange sideways looks. Each woman knew eventually Rika would someday ask. They should have been more prepared but given that she had never asked before this moment, it just always seemed easier to ignore it and not worry about how to address it. 

A thought comes to Rumiko, and she speaks carefully, "Try not to think about all of that, dear. Just know this: your father wanted to leave something behind, Rika. It's kind of poetic in that way."

_ 'I don't think things always end poetically.'  _ Rika sits with these thoughts for a long few seconds without saying anything. She is replaying her arguments with Takato in her mind. She is thinking about her father. Thinking about her mother. 

Rika's silence is deafening for the women up front. They continue to exchange pained expressions. The lack of questions is a salvation, but there is a growing fear that Rika would keep pushing the issue. Seiko quickly brainstorms an exit strategy, "Say, Rika, we should try working on your garden tomorrow. Try to get it all back."

"Hm. What's the point? It's all dead and gone now." Rika doesn't agree with this whole heartily, but she says it anyway because right now it's how she feels. 

"That's the beauty of it, Rika," her GrandMa starts. "You can break, and burn, and end it. You can tear it all away. It can rot out. But if you want? It can all come back. We can grow it all back."

The flush, green, growing garden. The light of life. The product of her labor. The beauty of it. The hard work. Rika thinks about all of this. Her GrandMa goes on, "But you have to want it."

Rika keeps her eyes out the window but smiles at this. Rumiko and Seiko feel relief to not have to further broach the topic of Rika's father. For Rika though, the melancholy contemplation comes back in force. She feels that life, like her garden, is filled with much death. Little deaths. Big deaths. Too much death. One thought echoes around her skull. Three little words she can't get out of her mind.

_ "She died alone." _

Outside the car, surrounding all of Shinjuku, a fog banks around the city.

* * *

_ Beep Beep _

_ Beep Beep _

_ Beep Beep _

The couple walks down the city street. The blonde man taps his watch to stop the reminder. The redhead beside him asks,"Should we be worried about being late?"

The man adjusts his glasses, looks up and sees their third party member waiting less than a block away, "Shouldn't be a problem."

"You don't think she'd leave? This won't scare her off?"

"That would be surprising."

They come to a stop on the pavement before the blue haired man with glasses. The woman smiles briefly, "Hello Janyu."

"Hello Riley, Yamaki."

Yamaki nods and says, "Mother Nature on our side tonight." He pulls out a cigarette and lights it.

Janyu Wong nods in agreement and looks out around the city block. The day was overcast, but warm. A fog has swept into the city. It is just after 8:00 PM and twilight is gone. When Janyu looks up into the sky, he gazes into a deep, dark void. He doesn't think about it too much. All of the weather, mixed with the smog of the city surely explains why he can't see a star in the sky.

"Shall we?" Riley asks.

Yamaki takes a long drag of his cigarette. He pulls it out, blows out into the night and doesn't answer. Expecting him to say something before, Janyu now jumps in, "First time was so exciting for me too."

Riley smiles but doesn't say anything in response. Instead, the three adults stand in silence for a moment. Yamaki puffs out another drag and then drops his cigarette and steps on it. "Let's get started."

The blonde man turns the corner and walks down a dark alley. Riley and Janyu are quick behind him. He walks for a few seconds, turns a corner and goes until he gets to an opening. It’s a dead end with nothing present but some backdoor exits. Riley and Janyu join him in the open space. Yamaki pulls out another cigarette and lights up. He drags it out. When he pulls and blows into the night that’s when he hears it.

_ Swoosh _

He continues to look up into the sky. His facial expression doesn’t change. He almost doesn’t react at all. From the shadows a voice speaks, “You’re late.  _ Again _ .”

Riley wants to step in and apologize, but this is Yamaki’s show. She’ll trust her husband to lead them correctly here. He gives it a moment. He lowers his head and looks at the ground. “Sorry about that. We’ll do better next time.”

His voice doesn’t seem to indicate much hope for the words he just said. From the shadows the voice speaks again, “We need to talk about Rika.”

Now this does surprise Yamaki. He looks up into the shadows and strains his eyes, “What happened?”

Out from the shadows steps a large golden fox, standing on its hind legs.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: This chapter’s OST is “To Leave Something Behind” by Sean Rowe. 
> 
> Love always. Rukato forever.
> 
> Notorious


	5. Ripples on the Pond

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rika and Takato go on a date. Jeri goes for a walk.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Part of the journey is the end. Love and be loved. Read… and review!

#  Ripples on the Pond 

_**Bzz Bzz** _

Unable to open her eyes, the red headed girl unconsciously reaches out for the device making noise.

**_Bzz Bzz_ **

Her mind haphazardly brushes the ground as she reaches for it. She searches the recesses of her memory once again. A little further to the left and she finds it. She pulls it towards her, but the buzzing has stopped. ‘ _Who is bothering me this early in the morning?’_

Rika rubs her right eye and then opens it a crack, enough to see at least. She begins rubbing her left eye and slowly her right eye adjusts to the light and focuses on the screen on her flip phone screen.

FROM: Goggle Head  
MESSAGE: Just want to make sure were still on for te movie tonight?   
MESSAGE: Sorry, i shouldve waited to send that when i knew you were awake : /

Rika opens both eyes and stares at the messages for a few seconds. She thinks about how to reply. ‘ _That’s how it’s gonna be, huh? We’re just going to pretend like yesterday never happened?’_ She pauses and thinks about it. _‘Okay then.’_

TO: Goggle Head  
MESSAGE: I should be up anyway. And yep! What time should i be over?

Rike sends the message and sits up in her bed. She gets up and heads for the shower while she waits for Takato to reply. She grabs a towel from the hallway closet and walks into the bathroom. The text comes as she walks in.

FROM: Goggle Head  
MESSAGE: Showings at 4, 5, 6:30 and 8:30. Im thinking 6:30 + food before?   
  
Rika nods her head in agreement. A sound plan, and the makings of a good day. ‘ _Maybe we can get past those arguments at the memorial yesterday.’_ Rika calculates the time in her head and types the reply.

TO: Goggle Head  
MESSAGE: Perfect. Ill get there around 5/5:15 then we walk to the food

Rika puts her phone down and immediately steps into the shower. _Bzz bzz._ She hears the vibration a few minutes in. When she steps out, she wraps herself in the towel and holds up the phone.

FROM: Goggle Head  
MESSAGE: Im excited. I think youll actually like the movie. See you son. I love you.

Rika had almost forgot that she hates the premise of the movie. ‘ _Lord, time traveling teenagers. Should be_ super _relatable and not at all far fetched.’_ Still, his text message did warm her insides a little. She smirks and replies.

TO: Goggle Head  
MESSAGE: If i dont, ur never picking the movie again.   
  
She puts her phone down for the last time. She looks up in the mirror and stares at the reflection a moment. Her flaming red hair is soaked and draped over her shoulder, stuck to her collar bones as if it had been taped down. She huffs out a sigh at herself. Her lilac iris glows in the bathroom light hue like a purple fire, burning down the grass fields of the white of her eyes. The sadness is present, but so too is the optimism. She steps away from the mirror, towards the door.

* * *

“Alright, Goggles, give me a rundown of what this movie is about again?”

The teeangers walk the streets and alleyways by Takato’s house, on their way to a noodle restaurant near the movie theater. They have about a 10 minute walk ahead of them and have just left the Matsuki’s residence. They hold hands and Takato smiles. He is trying to push past some of his mental struggles and just be in the moment with Rika. Seeing him smile, openly, clear as day, meant a lot to Rika. With his thumb he traces the inside of Rika’s palm. 

“Alright, so basically, it’s a sequel to this movie from a few years ago, _Life is Weird_ , about this girl who has-”

“Wait, did I need to see another movie before this one? I didn’t know that.”

“Rika, you _did_ see the other movie before this.”

“Oh. Well, then why are you acting like I haven’t seen it?”

“Because I figured you wouldn’t remember,” Takato says this with a smile, hardly containing a laugh.

Rika takes this into consideration and has to concede that he’s right. She shakes her head in agreement, “Well, you weren’t wrong, technically.”

“ _Technically._ ” He chides her.

“Yes, technically. Now, tell me about _this_ movie.” She flashes a rare open mouth smile at him.

They stop at a crosswalk and wait for a pedestrian light to change. “Alright, so this girl has this super power to control time.”

“How did she get it?”

“We don’t know.”

“Convenient.”

Takato ignores this snide remark and chugs along, “So, at the end of the last movie, she had to let her girlfriend die to save their town.”

Memories awaken in Rika. “Oh! I remember this now! They were in love, but couldn’t admit it, and it was super cute and they kissed on the hill at the end.”

The light changes and they press forward. “Exactly. So anyway, it’s been a few months and she can’t get over it. She’s going to try and reverse it, but she doesn’t have the time powers any more so, like, how does she get it back? And supposedly we’ll learn how she got them this movie and there’s gonna be other people with powers that she has to fight.”

Rika remembers tolerating the first movie because Takato enjoyed it so much. They watched it at home because it was PG-13 and they hadn’t been of-age yet. Plus, it came out a few years ago so it was old and she still didn’t very much like science fiction. But Takato adored it, so she put up with it for him.

Rika thinks about how that is what love is about: compromise. The two of them are so different, but they come together. And they settle their differences by giving a little here and there. It was mutually beneficial as they pushed each other towards new, uncomfortable places. Their differences encourage each other to be different, better people.

“What’s even better,” Takato interrupts her thoughts as they make a left down a street corner. “There’s a huge concert downtown tonight. So it’s opening night for the movie, but no one will be there. Everyone and all the traffic will be down there.”

Rika looks sideways at the love of her life. It’s a little after 5:30 in the afternoon, the sun is on its way down. His brown hair and brown eyes, his big, goofy smile. He is radiant in the daylight. His entire aura is glowing and Rika feels a gravitational pull towards him. She leans into him and reaches her arm around his waist, pushing her head into his shoulder momentarily as they walk conjoined.

‘ _Now_ this _is the Takato I’ve wanted to see for so long.’_

Rika is so happy in this moment. They walk down the street, hip to hip. They are not arguing about destiny, or death, or anything like that. She does not want to upset him or make things worse after yesterday. She wants to capture this exact moment in a bottle and keep it with her forever.

Takato squeezes Rika’s shoulder and whispers, “Hey. I love you.”

She looks up into his almond eyes and in the setting sun light she can briefly see her own reflection. She leans in and pecks him on the cheek and departs from his side, but latches onto his hand again. “I love you too.”

Within another two minutes they arrive at the noodle restaurant. They stand in line and an older, gruff gentleman is in front of them. He looks mildly put off and Rika reckons to not bother with him. This same line of thinking is not shared with Takato apparently, who starts up talking to the man, “You come here often or is this your first time?”

‘ _What is he doing?’_ Rika loathes talking to strangers. The very idea makes her uncomfortable. She feels second hand embarrassment as the lumberjack looking fellow peers down at Takato. He looks around for a second, then back at Takato. He grumbles, “Not my first time… but I never know what to get.”

Takato smiles widely at the muscular man, “I’ve heard that before! What other kinds of foods do you like? Maybe I can help you decide what you’ll like here!”

Rika watches in shock and amusement as the teenager and the older man unravel a conversation for several minutes while waiting to order. The large man explains that he’s taking a to-go order for his wife, and this is one of her favorite fast food locations but he only ever gets what she orders and never really likes it. Takato gives him a rundown of the menu, hears what he likes in other foods, and suggests he get the #7. Just before the man is called to the register to place his order he turns to Rika.

“Are you with this fellow, young lady?”

Rika looks surprised to be called out. Her mouth hangs open dumbly and nods her head. He smirks at her, “Well, you’ve got a special one here.”

The register calls for the next in line and the man turns back to Takato, “Enjoy your date you two.”

Takato and Rika place their order then sit down. As they do, Takato starts up again, “Speaking of date, my Mom-”

“You are incredible, you know that?”

Takato stops and looks stunned momentarily, “Uh, did I do something?”

Rika smiles at him. ‘ _He doesn’t even realize how brilliant he is.’_ She wonders at him for a few more seconds, letting him sit in anticipation, “You can just strike up a conversation with a complete stranger and by the end of it they’re telling me that I’m lucky to have you. I just _can’t_ do that.”

Takato nervously smiles back at Rika, “He just looked like he was a little lost, that’s all.”

Rika shakes her head in astonishment. Her cold exterior would never allow for this. She was too distrusting of strangers, while Takato was fearless, outgoing, and warm. While Takato could make connections with strangers, Rika’s calculating nature made sure that they made thought-out decisions. The two of them balance each other out. 

“So anyway, as I was about to say,” Takato starts back up and Rika is pulled from her thoughts. “My Mom said that this date dance thing came in the mail from Shinjuku High. We didn’t even start high school yet, but they’re already trying to sell us on going to this dance thing a month from now.”

“Oh yeah? When is it?”

“Ughh, if I recall correctly, I think the little paper said September 20th? It’s a Saturday. Five weeks from today!”

“Okay,” Rika says and a thought comes to mind. “You gonna bring anyone special?”

Takato smirks knowingly back at her, “Well, I’m hoping Ryo is free.”

Rika laughs and shakes her head back at him, “Oh yeah, definitely, you two have that whole bro-mance thing going on, makes a lot of sense.”

“Thanks, thanks. Just hoping he doesn’t already have a date.”

Rika teases him more, “And if he does? Who else would you want to bring?”

"Henry?"

"Anyone _else?_ " Rika says suggestively as they play their game of cat and mouse.

Takato jokingly stares out into space contemplatively. He puts his hand on his chin and mocks racking his brain. He suddenly has a ‘light bulb moment,’ and looks at Rika in bewilderment, “Oh! Oh. Did you? Oh, you meant? Oh, I’m so sorry.”

Rika laughs and slowly shakes her head again, “Oh? Di-did someone come to mind?”

“I see, so, you thought that I was going to invite _you_ . Okay, um, well this is awkward,” Takato jokes and they’re both enjoying this moment equally. “Alright, I’ll tell you what, if Ryo says ‘no,’ and Henry can't, then would _you_ want to go with me?”

Rika keeps the joke going, “I’ll have to look at my calendar, but yes, if I’m free, I’d love to go with you.”

_‘I’ll have to look at my calendar’_ stings Takato in an odd place. He drops the facade and says, “Can you _actually_ check your calendar though?”

Rika feels the buzz kill immediately, “Sure? But, why-”

“Well, because last time…" and Takato trails off.

Realization sets upon Rika. She gives him a serious look and says, “I wouldn’t miss it for all the card tournaments in the world.”

Takato smiles lightly, and nervously looks around. Anywhere but at her. Rika reaches across the table and grabs his hands. He concedes and they lock eyes for a moment. They each search for the words to say. The perfect combination to ease the tension and soothe the other. Before either one can say anything though a waitress approaches with a tray of food.

“Table #32?”

They both look up and nod. The waitress carefully places their food between them and then departs. They are left with the perished moment. What was joyful has turned to ash in their mouth. The food goes down, but neither one really tastes anything.

They manage to make idle chit chat over the meal, changing topics and opening a dialogue. They talk about concerns and hopes for starting high school, at different schools, in two days. They talk to one another, but nothing is really said. They are both mentally adrift in the shores of overthinking. They had captured lightning in a bottle, but with just a moment of miscommunication, the lightning was released and they were left holding an empty glass. Something that was once special, is now just ordinary.

They depart the restaurant with the sun barely over the horizon. They arrive at the movie theater at 6:15 and sit down, again alone with their own thoughts as the previews roll. Nothing needs be said, so nothing is said.

* * *

Jeri Katou leaps out the front door and onto the pavement. She looks back into the doorway as her father slowly walks to it to close it.

"Be careful tonight, Jeri. It's already dark and I'm—"

"Don't worry, Dad! I'll be back by 10:00, I promise. I won't stop for anything or waste any time."

The tired father sighs in relief, "Alright, be safe. We love you."

Jeri smiles and begins on her path, "Love you too!"

Tonight, Jeri's family had decided to take advantage of the concert happening downtown. They'd gone to dinner, enjoyed themselves, perhaps too much, and as a result, Jeri was behind schedule. She looks down at her watch and it's 8:10! The lights in the park are already on and her 90 minute exercise in mental wellness would run her very late tonight. She couldn't afford to waste time or be too distracted.

Almost as if on cue, she looks up into the night sky and takes in the world around her. It is bizarre looking up and seeing nothing, but it's been that way for a week or so now. There was a fog slowly building around the city, and the news channels were saying it was harder to see the stars and moon due to a lot of pollution in the city. Jeri thought otherwise.

_'Sometimes when you're in a hard place you can feel like there's no hope. Like someone turned off all of the lights and left you in the dark. But if you just look for the light, you can find it. Like fireflies. Even in the darkest summer days, they always light up in time._ '

It is a gift that Jeri can see good in such a negative moment. It's a skill she has been working on with Ms. Scott. As Jeri walks on she feels grateful for all of the help she has gotten, and for all of the light there is too find in the dark.

* * *

As they walk out the exit and into the dark of night, Takato looks at his redheaded dream girl and asks, “So, what did you think?”

She pauses and lets out a sigh. She looks up at him as they walk and says, “I was so, _so_ wrong.” This ambiguous start makes Takato uneasy. She looks defeated and says, “That movie was incredible.”

“YES!” Takato fist pumps in excitement. “Yes! I knew it. Yes, it was great, right?”

Rika starts up, “I have to admit, it _was_ great.”

Takato feels triumph course through his veins. Proving Rika wrong was a rare occurrence and one not to be lightly glossed over. He spends the next minute lauding it over her head and generally celebrating this little victory. Rika finally cuts through his parade. As they are passing the noodle shop from earlier she says, “Okay, but seriously, how cool would it be to have time traveling powers?”

_‘Whoosh, I don’t think so.’_ Takato briefly contemplates both _Life is Weird_ and _Better Then_ and some of the messaging he got out of them. He responds, “I don’t know. I think it would just make me anxious.”

“Huh?” This response catches Rika off guard and she shoots her mouth off before she can filter it.

“Just, this idea that every little thing you do will have these massive consequences.” 

“Yeah, but with time travel you can always go back and re-do it!”

The couple hold hands and walk down an empty street. Takato can’t help but disagree. They had seen the same movies, but he felt like she had missed a major point of the movie. _‘Maybe because she doesn’t really remember the first one?’_ he thinks. He looks at her, the earnest interest and enthusiasm present on her face. He decides to proceed with his point, “Sure, but you saw what that did to Max by the end. It’s not that simple. And I really like the concept that someone who can time travel, that has all this power, invites the challenge of people with other powers. That would scare me if I had time traveling powers.”

“Well, Max clearly rose to the challenge.”

Takato can’t help but nod in agreement, “She did. Oh man, that moment was so awesome!"

“ _Predict this, bitch!”_ they say in unison as they turn right around a familiar street corner. 

The teenage lovers smile and share a laugh at this. As the laughter dies down Takato starts up again, “I don’t know. I guess time travel just scares me. You make one little mistake and you could lose everything.”

_HISS!_

At that exact moment steam shot up from the city street beneath the two teeangers. It shot up directly between them and so they separated momentarily, releasing their hand grip. They exchange a look and rub their respective hands at the hot feeling. Rika looks forward, rubbing her palm and contemplates. Throughout the movie she had spent so much time thinking about how it related to her own life. What she would change. What she could do differently. “I don’t have that same fear. You can do all of these amazing things, you can relive the hard part of your life with new knowledge and understanding.”

As they proceed down the quiet street, side by side but separated, she continues, “I mean, what if we had that information when we fought the Devas, or Beelzemon, or the Sovereign, or the D Reaper, or the Darkness? What if we could start our whole journey over with the knowledge that we loved each other? It’s like the movie title. Just imagine how much ‘better then’ could have been?”

_‘She just… does not get it.’_

The thought of going on weighs heavily on Takato. ‘ _Just drop it. Just forget it.’_ He wants to move on. He wants to try and be right in this moment. A quiet city street, an excellent date night with his red headed beauty. Yet the memories and feelings and pain of those battles were buried deep within him. He felt them still to this day. _‘I can’t.’_ He looks at Rika, who absentmindedly continues to rub her hand. Holding his breath, slowly he says, “You have no idea what it’s like…”

As they come to a stop at the pedestrian crossing light, Rika cocks her head at an angle. She feels white hot furiously mad at this, “What the hell does that mean?”

Takato looks into her eyes, their lilac hue burning into his soul. He opens his mouth to reply but nothing comes out. His mind is so jumbled with many different thoughts and he isn’t sure where to start or what to say first. A second too long passes as Rika is left with just his last statement. _‘You have no idea what it’s like.’_ The words spew out of her like a dragon breathing fire, “Ya know, you’re not the only one whose been hurt, Takato.”

“Rika,” he tries to stop her.

“I know it was a lot different for me this last time because I was a prisoner and everything, and maybe that’s hard for you to understand, but-”

“Rika! That’s not what I meant. What I meant, was… ugh,” he stammers. Suddenly the right words come to him, “I see the ripples on the pond. When you throw a stone into the pond, like we used to? At our special place, with the pond and the water?”

“Like time travel in the movie. You make one small change and it’s all different. Okay. Like, what if Suzie _didn’t_ push me through the portal before the rest of you? What if I _hadn’t_ told BlackAgumon about you all coming behind me? Maybe I could have prevented all of it? Maybe then… Kazu would still be alive.”

As Takato finishes saying this, an older man walks past the two of them out across the pedestrian crossing. They had been so absorbed in their moment that they had not realized the light had changed. Both look forward and start walking the last bit to Takato’s home.

As they move on Rika feels guilty for lashing out at him. She hadn’t meant to, it had just come out of her like a reflex. She’d been hurt by what he initially said. Because she was still hurt from the whole experience, but she wasn’t fully aware of that. _‘But now he’s hurt.’_ She doesn’t know what to say to him.

As they walk on, Takato’s mind ravishes him. He wants to explain himself to Rika but he finds it harder and harder, day by day. Something truly genuine rises up. It’s a line of thinking that he has been sitting on for a long time. He wasn’t sure Rika was the right person to say it to before, but now he just wants to get the feelings into the air. He looks up into a starless night sky, “Everyone says we’re lucky to be alive. But I don’t feel lucky.”

Quietly, sorrowfully, Rika looks at her boyfriend. He goes on, “I feel like I lost a part of me in the Digital World. I feel like I may never be whole again.”

Rika’s fears were playing out in front of her. They had lost so many friends from this exact thing. Now she felt like she was losing Takato, in real time, right in front of her, to the same thing. She feels paralyzed, even as her feet move in front of her. He shakes his head and says, “But everyone thinks we’re so special and says we’re lucky. So I feel like I have to _feel_ lucky… but I don’t, and I don’t know what to do with that.”

With these final words out, the teens realize that they have reached their destination. They stand directly outside of the Matsuki bakery. There is an awkward silence as the couple each think about how to close things. Takato offers up, “You want to come in, and say ‘hi’ to my parents? Maybe they could give you a ride home?”

Rika feels her head and her heart at war. Her head tells her to leave and escape immediately before she manages to make things worse than she already has done. Her heart wants to comfort Takato and hold him and be there for him. His questions register and slowly her head answers for her, “No, no it’s OK. Plus, with the concert tonight, traffic will be impossible getting to my place from here. It… it’ll be faster and easier for everyone if I just walk.”

Rika reaches into her pocket and pulls out her phone. She flips it open to check the time. The digital clock reads back 8:40 PM. She stares at it a little longer than necessary, scared to make eye contact with Takato. Meanwhile, he searches for the right things to say. He’s pushing her away and he’s scared that the gap between them is too large to jump across.

She stares down at her phone, but he talks anyway, “I’m… sorry. I don’t know what any of that was or where it came from but I’m sorry. Truth be told, I don’t know what been going on with us lately-”

Rika moves towards him quickly and holds him in a tight hug. She whispers into his ear, “It’s okay. Hey. Hey. I love you.”

She pulls him back and they look at each other under the cover of just the dim street lights. Rika closes her eyes slowly and leans in. Takato involuntarily closes his own and reciprocates. Each opens their mouth and takes the other one in. They kiss passionately. They are seeking to mend the bridge. There is yearning and a burning love. They both want this, but both think this isn’t the right time.

A few moments pass and Rika pulls away. She hides her sadness and looks at him, “I gotta go, it’s late and GrandMa will worry.”

Just as quickly as she had crashed into him, she is gone. She pulls away, turns on heel and walks off into the night before Takato can stop her.

* * *

Rika Nonaka marches through the city streets. She is approaching the Shinjuku Central Park and her mind is consumed by what a catastrophic evening it has been. She feels like she is losing Takato. Both the person, and the partner. She feels completely alone and the deserted sidewalks only add to her feeling of isolation. 

A wisp of wind catches her. Her ponytail whisks in the breeze and smacks her shoulder oddly. She looks over her shoulder and watches as a large cloud of fog streams forth from a manhole cover in the street. Quickly she turns back and faces forward. She feels a shortness of breath. She struggles to concentrate her thoughts and stay on one topic. Her mind races through the last two days and the damage she has done to her relationship.

_“Rika.”_ A voice calls to her.

She stops dead in her tracks. Slowly she follows the source and looks over her shoulder. _‘Did I hear … my name? Did someone just call me?’_

She zeroes in on a narrow alleyway. A single street light above provides little line of sight down the dark corridor. She strains her eyes to look through the shadows down. She begins to form a figure. Just as she does so, the street light above flickers and goes out.

This moment terrifies the young girl. She faces forward and sees Central Park across the street. She runs forward. She runs on for several minutes, passing the water fountain where she had met Takato on that golden summer day. She feels cold in the dark, and wraps her arms around herself as she moves on. A sudden breeze picks up and freezes her over. She can not run much longer. She slows to a crawl. She is almost about to fall over, exhausted, out of breath, freezing, when she sees a bench. She sits down and holds herself tight.

She looks at the ground, and then up at the black void in the sky. There are no stars, no light in the dark. Her entire body shakes uncontrollably. Slowly her eyes drag down to the large oak tree in front of her. Almost all of its leaves still hang above, and staring directly at her in the center of the tree is a pair of letters, "D + E." Almost impossible to see in the dark, but Rika knew. She has been here before. She knows this place.

_‘Push it down, Rika_ .’ She thinks to herself. _‘Push it all the way down. Even further than last time.’_

The breeze picks up again and brushes the back of her neck.

* * *

_‘Wow, I thought there would be less people here but this place is a ghost town!’_

Jeri Katou has never seen the Shinjuku Central Park so empty. _‘Do people really like boy bands that much?’_ She marvels at how gorgeous the park is without people to disturb it.

She slowly passes the spurting water fountain and listens to the running water. She looks up and stops short as she finds she is not alone. Further up ahead she noticed someone sitting down at a bench. They are shaking and holding themselves. That sort of behavior is very odd, and perhaps dangerous. Between them is a plastic fence, up to Jeri’s waist, sectioning certain grass off from other areas, which gives Jeri some relief. She knows there is a barrier between them, and even such a small one helps put her at ease. Jeri averts her eyes, so as to not stare.

_‘Still, what creep would be in the park this late, alone, acting like that?’_

Slowly Jeri peers out at the stranger in the woods. She tries to focus on their features. First, she notices the red hair. Next, they seem to have a slender frame, possibly female. They are sitting down but don’t seem to be very tall. Jeri tries to piece together why she thinks she recognizes this figure in the distance.

* * *

Rika hears the wind blow and feels the ice cold breeze on the back of her neck. 

She continues holding herself, shaking, and closes her eyes. _‘No, no, no. No, please, no, not again. Please not again.’_

She hears the water drip from behind her.

_Drop_

Slowly she opens her eyes, and she has again been transported. She is still sitting at the bench, but the bench is now at the edge of the beach. The wind howls and sands carries through the air, lightly slapping her face and trapping in her hair. All around her is dark and grey, even the bench she sits on.

It dawns on Rika that she is no longer cold, and she has stopped shaking. Gingerly, she stands up off the bench. When she does she finds that the bench is now gone. There is nowhere for her to sit. She turns instead to the ocean. In the distance, twenty yards away, at the edge of the dark water are two shadowy figures. 

* * *

_‘Is that who I think it is?’_

Jeri surrenders all decorum and begins staring right through the night at the figure at the bench. Her eyes strain in the dark but it feels unmistakable. Just as she is about to start walking again towards them, their behavior completely changes. They stop shaking violently and let go of hugging themself. Jeri watches as they carefully stand up. Seeing her stand at her full height erases all remaining doubt in her mind. 

Something else happens when they stand up though. Jeri watches as the figure becomes fuzzy. In fact, it seems like the redhead begins to fade away. Jeri is alarmed and tries to call to her, “Rika!”

* * *

_“Rika!”_ A voice calls to her.

Rika turns towards the direction it comes from. Away from the ocean. For a moment she considers turning back, and going towards the voice instead. _‘But that voice tried to pull me down the dark alley.’_

The voice is still out to get her. _‘Is it better to go towards the water instead?’_ Her fear, confusion, and curiosity are too strong. She looks out at the ocean and it calls to her. 

_CRACK_

Lightning strikes and casts light across the beach. Slowly, she steps towards the water. She moves away from the voice and the edge of the sand. She is pulled towards the figures.

* * *

Jeri watches as the redhead turns and faces her. She responds to the name but there is something wrong with her. Jeri looks confused at her old friend, who looks scared. Slowly, Rika turns away from Jeri and starts walking away. 

Jeri’s feet move her towards the girl as she watches her grow fuzzier. It seems like her entire body is disappearing. She is fading into nothing. Jeri walks faster towards her and calls out again, “RIKA!”

* * *

Rika is about halfway across the beach when she hears it again.

_“RIKA!”_ The voice calls out.

_‘Don’t turn around. Keep going. Don’t stop. Don’t go towards the voice.’_ She tells herself.

* * *

Jeri is distraught as Rika does not even register her own name being called this time. Jeri starts sprinting towards her. She is fading away. She is almost completely gone. Jeri leaps over the plastic fence separating them and screams as loud as she can. “RIKA! RIKA! RIKA!” 

She closes the distance between the two of them.

* * *

Rika is almost at the water now. The figures come into focus. They have their back to Rika and instead face the ocean. They appear to be a boy and a girl. They are ankle deep in the water. 

_“RIKA! RIKA! RIKA!”_ The voice from behind calls, growing louder and louder.

Rika stops at the edge of the water. She stares at the figure that appears to be a girl. The girl slowly turns to face Rika.

_“RIKA!”_

“AHHHHHH!” 

All at once Rika is transported back to the park. She is snapshotted back into her surroundings. She turns to run away from the figure in the water and collides head first into the arms of a stranger.

“AHHH!” Rika screams. She is trapped in the arms of the girl figure. She has somehow been captured. She pushes and punches quickly but the figure holds her tighter.

“I’m right here, Rika. I’m right here.”

The female figure holds her tighter and tighter, embracing her in her arms. Rika tries to push but feels the body crushing her. She screams, “LET GO OF ME!”

Tears well up in Rika’s eyes and her knees buckle. She begins to fall, and the figure falls with her, “It’s just me, Rika. It’s Jeri. It’s just me.”

Rika’s body is out of control again and the cold returns, but with the cold so too comes the warmth of the girl holding her. They are in a heap on the ground. Rika hyperventilates and a few stray tears flow from the sheer fear of the moment. She wheezes breaths while Jeri rocks her in her arms and just keeps whispering the same thing to her. 

“I’m right here, Rika. I’m right here.”

* * *

After a few minutes, Rika finally calms down and catches her breath. She warms up and Jeri asks, “What happened? What was that?”

They still remain sitting on the pavement, two feet apart. Rika looks down at the dirt and tries to decide what exactly to say. She did not want to tell her Mother or GrandMa. She didn't want to scare Takato by talking about it with him, especially with all of the other stressors already affecting their relationship. Rika doesn’t want to tell Jeri about it either, but she had seen it herself. Rika feels like she has no choice.

“If I tell you… will you keep it a secret?” she asks earnestly.

Jeri is stunned. She has known Rika for almost two years now. She has never seen the Ice Queen as scared as she was just a few moments ago. She had never seen her cry until a few moments ago. Now she is asking Jeri to keep it a secret? _‘This must be_ so _important to her.’_

Jeri nods her head, “I promise.”

Rika takes a few more moments to collect herself. She sniffles and tries to explain, “I’ve been having… umm… these moments. It’s only happened twice now. I just. I don’t exactly know what but I’m back on that beach. Where we got taken. And I don’t know why or how but I’m just really scared.”

Jeri listens not just to the words, but to the emotion in her friend's voice. Rika is terrified, and Jeri completely sympathizes. She is not Ms. Scott, but she can do her best to pass what she has learned on, “I think I know what you’re going through.”

_‘She knows what I’m going through?’_ Rika is taken aback. She looks up at the brunette, both concerned and anxious to hear more. She asks, “You do?”

“Yeah. So, umm, this isn’t easy for me to say, but my parents have been sending me to this therapist lady. Her name is Dr. Scott, but she lets me call her Ms. Scott. They’ve actually been sending me to her for a while now. Like, over a year. Right after the D-Reaper, but anyway. And she said that I have this thing, and I don’t remember exactly what it’s called, but after we go through these terrible experiences, we sort of get stuck in them.”

Rika stares in awe. _‘Jeri’s been seeing a therapist? And she didn’t tell me? Her parents sent her after the D-Reaper? Why didn’t Mom and GrandMa make me do that?’_

Jeri goes on, “So, I don’t know what’s happening to you, but I’ve had moments where I still feel like I’m trapped in the D-Reaper. And I get really scared.”

Rika feels so connected to Jeri in this moment. She stares at her intensely, hanging on her every word. “But when I get those feelings, I just try to remember that they’re not happening, they’re not real, I’m not really still stuck there. I’m right where I am.”

Jeri smiles at Rika, hoping these words are comforting her. A thought comes to her though and she adds, “Although, I don’t know how you were phasing out.”

This alarms Rika, “Phasing out?”

“Yeah, you were disappearing. That’s why I was running towards you.”

A heavy silence sits between them as Rika tries to reason Jeri’s former advice with her latter observation. A memory from last weekend rises to Jeri and she excitedly picks up again, “But you know what? I have been seeing weird things in the park lately. Last week I saw all this fog and then it just all disappeared. So maybe it was just the park? Or maybe it was my eyes playing tricks on me?”

All of Jeri Katou’s words and advice collect in Rika’s mind. After a few minutes they stand up and walk through the woods as far as they can together. Jeri has to break off eventually so she can head home, already running late after promising her father she would not be out long. Once they go their separate ways, Rika ponders all of it. She thinks particularly of Jeri’s advice.

_'They’re not real, I’m not really still stuck there. I’m right where I am.’_

This placates Rika. She feels that it answers many of her questions and concerns. She returns home and goes to bed, never once noticing the wind blown particles of black and gray sand trapped in her hair.

* * *

FROM: Takato Matsuki  
MESSAGE: Hey, im sorry its been a while. I think i need your help tho. Can u come over today?

Kenta Kitagawa rereads the message from his longtime friend as he walks through the Shinjuku Central Park. He had awoken to it early in the morning, annoyed that Takato never seemed to know to wait until people were properly awake to text them.

_'Old habits die hard, I guess.’_

Kenta is almost through the entire park when he notices something odd. Up ahead he looks at a tree with no leaves on it. _‘What the heck happened? It’s mid-August, not mid-October.’_

As Kenta arrives at it there are a few strangers standing around also staring at it and commenting on the oddity. Kenta spends a few seconds observing the large oak tree. All of the leaves were amassed in a pile under the tree, all of them dead and fallen off. He stood beside a broken tree, it’s branches all twisted. As he goes to walk away he notices a heart and the letters "D + E" carved into the middle of it . ‘ _What a weird, weird tree.’_

Kenta continued his path towards Takato’s house, but couldn’t shake the tree from his mind. He kept thinking about how some things which are beautiful one day, can be dead and gone the next.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: “Better Then” is a real fan fic written by IsraelBlargh for the video game Life is Strange. It is high art and some of the best fan fic writing I’ve ever read. Please read “Better Then” and be wowed. This chapter’s OST is “Rivers and Roads” by The Head and the Heart. 
> 
> Love always. Rukato forever.
> 
> Notorious


	6. Chase the Dragon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yamaki talks with some colleagues. Takato and Ryo play cards.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Part of the journey is the end. Love and be loved. Read… and review!

**Chase the Dragon**

“This is for the record.”

The tall blonde man stands in the center of the living room in his apartment along with his present company, holding up a handheld tape recorder. His wife, a redheaded woman, sits at the dinner table along with a blue haired man wearing glasses. Against the wall stands a two legged, golden fox.

He holds the tape recorder up and speaks, “Date is September 5th, 2003. Friday. Time is 1800 hours. We are taping this meeting upon command from our superiors. I, Mitsuo Yamaki, am gathered with Riley Yamaki, Janyu Wong, and the former wild one, ex-partner Renamon.”

Opening her eyes, Renamon states, “We aren’t  _ ex _ -partners.”

Yamaki fixes his glasses for a second then starts up again, "That is true. However, we have an agreement that Rika Nonaka, nor any of them will be looped into the current affairs. An agreement that you jeopardized since our last meeting." 

Renamon leans off of the wall and towards Yamaki. They stare one another down. From the table, the redhead interjects, "Perhaps it would be best to start from the beginning, for posterity's sake?"

The blue haired father sitting across from her chimes in, "That's a great idea! I'll take the lead."

Yamaki steps towards the table and places the tape recorder down. Janyu takes a deep breath before beginning, "The children departed for the Digital World on May 30th. They returned on June 2nd. While they had been gone for just two days, several months had elapsed in their time. This was a new phenomenon in our collective experiences. Time in the Digital World, it appears, was moving at an exponential rate compared to ours."

"Unbeknownst to the children, Renamon snuck aboard the arc we used to bring them home."

"It was for their safety," Renamon speaks up. "And at the command of the Sovereign."

Janyu shakes his head in agreement, "Yes, of course. The Digimon Sovereign believed that the threat was not over, and wanted to send Renamon to serve as a 'guardian angel' of sorts."

Janyu fiddles with his watch for a second. His eyes dart around the floor as he mentally prepares for the next part, "The death of the boy, Kazu Shiota, effectively ended Hypnos in the public's eyes. There was backlash and we, rightfully, shut down the entire operation soon after. We had been able to hide behind victory with the D-Reaper. A dead child was…"

He trails off and the room is silent. Yamaki rubs his hands together absentmindedly. Renamon finally returns to leaning back and closes her eyes. After a few seconds Riley picks up, "Renamon showed herself to Yamaki on June 30th. This couldn't be ignored, so the government has slowly, covertly been working to re-institute Hypnos without drawing the ire of the public. We will slowly be putting our team and personnel back together over the coming months."

Riley pauses for a moment to see if Janyu or Yamaki wants to jump back in. When the moment passes she goes on, "Since then, in the last 9 weeks, we have created handheld PDAs which allow us to track emergence related behaviors without having to be physically present at the Hypnos facility. The majority of this work was completed by Janyu Wong from his own home computer."

Janyu finally jumps back in, "Our major concerns have come from those readings over the last 5 or 6 weeks. Nothing reaches or has been consistent enough to represent emergences, but we’ve hit a handful of times now when the levels have spiked to those consistent with emergences, but not over a period of time long enough to constitute an actual emergence." 

Riley adds, "Renamon believes this has to do with the chosen children."

"The Digimon Tamers," Yamaki says.

"Correct. We are slowly working to verify this, but nothing has proven so yet," Riley continues, "In the meantime, we have been meeting monthly with Renamon to discuss any concerns, behaviors, or other things we should be addressing." 

Yamaki jumps in, "Including the fact that she tried to expose herself to Rika three weeks ago."

This time Renamon does not react but to say, "Something is happening to her, and we need to address it."

"With all due respect, Renamon," Janyu cuts in. "None of our spikes have been anywhere near Rika when she's been going through these supposed episodes, nor are any of them happening near her home or any of the children's."

"I'm not saying that we shouldn't look into it, but we have more pressing matters to attend to, ones that we may be able to take real action on."

Riley speaks up, "I agree with Janyu and I think, for our first recorded conversation, we should consider both  _ why _ this is happening and  _ what _ we should do about it."

Janyu picks up, "That's an excellent suggestion, Riley. I have put forth in the past that we should work to develop more Blue Cards, if possible. Historically, these have been used to bring the partners into our world without needing a gate. What's more, they have also been used for other purposes that we don't always understand."

Yamaki adds, "Janyu and I also saw an instance when the Digital World called to the children. We witnessed first-hand as Janyu's daughter was summoned there by a cloud of data. There are other forces at play here that we don't understand."

Riley was out of her element at this point and felt in over her head. She kept quiet while the two of them orally worked through this topic. A thought comes to Janyu that he had not shared before now, "Back in May, before the children went to the Digital World, Henry told me something. He said he believed the portal was open because 'the Digital World needed a hero.' Maybe that's what the spikes are about? A distress signal from beyond? Trying to call to us, to Renamon, to the children, because it's in danger again? We didn't know anything about The Darkness happening then, so perhaps now they need their heroes back?"

The idea hangs over the room. Yamaki stands a moment and considers what it means to be a hero. A  _ real _ hero. Cynical by nature, this moment is no different for the blonde smoker. He concludes that in real life there are no heroes. ' _ In real life, the monsters win.' _

_ Ping-ping-ping!  _

_ Ping-ping-ping!  _

_ Ping-ping-ping!  _

All at once all three of the PDAs in the room go off. Renamon stands up, alert. She asks, "What's happening?"

Janyu answers, "Another spike, right now."

A few seconds pass and the signal does not die. Riley questions, "Are we sure it's just a spike? These readings aren't going away."

Before either man can answer, Renamon cuts in as well, "Is there a location?"

Janyu does not want to overreact or cause a panic but he can't lie either, "Ugh, well. The readings  _ are  _ consistent with an emergence. This is occurring on the other side of town."

Renamon is at the sliding door to their balcony without another word. She slides it open and the dark room is flooded with orange-red light, "I'm on my way."

Yamaki pulls a small metal object from his pocket. Quickly he flicks the lighter cap off, and pushes it shut with his thumb. 

_ Flick _

_ 'In real life, you just have to have the stronger monsters.' _

Renamon steps out onto the balcony and then disappears into a sunless sky. Yamaki moves towards the apartment door and his compatriots are right behind him.

_ 'And we are the  _ Monster Makers _ after all.' _

* * *

"Takato, it's gonna be here soon!"

"Okay, Mom, we'll be down when it's here," he shouts from his bedroom.

From the bottom of the stairs comes back, "Right around 6:30, okay?"

"O-kay!" He replies back. 

Takato returns his attention to the card game he is getting thoroughly beat at. He looks across the playing mat at his opponent, who smiles devilishly. They say, "Perfect. So if I finish this one quick we might be able to squeeze one more in before the food arrives."

"Yeah, yeah. I know, you're better than me at the game, I get it," Takato replies.

The brown haired boy smiles back at him, "You're more challenging than Kenta! Or Henry, for that matter."

"Must be all that losing I do to Rika," Takato replies and Ryo laughs in response.

_ Bzz bzz  _

Takato looks down at his phone. He opens it.

FROM: Rika <3  
MESSAGE: I miss you. Dance in 2 weeks right? Excited to see you again

Takato types his reply hurriedly before getting back to his card game.

TO: Rika <3   
MESSAGE: I miss you too. And yep! Cant wait to see you all dressed up :)

As predicted, in short order Ryo puts an end to the match. He crushes a Saberdramon to finish Takato off. From the floor of Takato’s bedroom, the Digimon King celebrates while the Goggle Head bemoans his defeat. Ryo tries to filter his thoughts but he can’t help it. He wears a weak smile but shakes his head as he says, “I wish I could have done that with you.”

Takato begins reaching for his cards and looks at Ryo without saying anything. His eyes question what the boy means, so Ryo continues. “I wish I could have fought by your side earlier this summer.” Takato shakes his head, “We’ve been over that. You helped the best way you could and it made all the difference.”

Ryo also gathers his cards, “I just wish things had been different. Fucking Darkness. Gosh, what a mess.”

Takato desperately wants to change the topic. As he begins to shuffle his deck he says, “Speaking of messes, how’s about Mrs. Ishizu’s class?”

“Woof. Don’t remind me. I spend too much time during that class staring at Lily.”

Takato laughs, "We know. The drool from your mouth forms a little puddle on the ground by the end of the class.”

Ryo is suddenly very self-conscious, “Hey, shut up!”

Takato laughs and Ryo gets defensive, "That’s not funny!”

“It’s funny to me and everyone else.”

Ryo groans realizing he has been exposed. Now he is the one who is desperate to change topics, “Well, you wouldn’t know anything about it anyway. All the girls are staring at you, and you’re not looking at any of them.”

Takato grows tense and defensive, “Well, yeah, I mean, I’ve got Rika so…”

Earnestly now, Ryo asks, “How’s she been?”

Takato averts his eyes, “Well, uh. We haven’t seen each other in 3 weeks, not since school started.”

“Oh.”

“Yeah, we’ve just been busy, and we text or talk on the phone. Our free time just hasn’t lined up. She’s at Tsukishima so she has a lot of homework already, more than us.”

“She wasn’t free to hang out with us and Henry tonight?”

Takato had not asked her. He lies, “Yeah, no, she wasn’t going to be able to make it.”

Takato refusing to look at Ryo is noteworthy and Ryo feels like there’s more than what is being let on. “Is everything okay with you guys?”

_ ‘Now or never. Just have to go for it.’  _ Takato broaches the topic with his good friend, "She’s just not been herself lately.”

“Oh? The last time I saw her was at Mr. Omu’s for the City Championship. She beat that Danielle girl. Man, it was  _ awesome _ .”

Takato looks up and finally returns eye contact, “Yeah? I heard about it from her but-”

“Oh man, yeah. I mean, it sucked for me because she beat me but,” Ryo trails off as he remembers the night. “You know, now that you mention it, she did say something weird to me. I mean, it was just normal banter, but then she said she wasn’t there to make any friends. It was a kind of classic, ice cold Rika moment.”

Takato tries to picture this in his mind. That felt like the  _ old _ Rika, and it made him unusually happy thinking about her donning that Ice Queen persona again. Ryo goes on, “Yeah. She also mentioned that you were at the hospital, and I think she really would have rather been there, with you.”

While this doesn’t surprise Takato, it does remind him of that night. He remembers being so harsh with Rika on the phone.  _ ‘She died alone.’  _ He was hurting at the time, but he shouldn’t have taken it out on her.

While Takato is silent, Ryo’s mind churns forward. He debates saying it to Takato but decides to make the leap, “Listen, I know Rika pretty well. I’d like to think I know her better than anyone besides you, at least of our friends. In fact, you succeeded where I failed. I tried to chase the dragon.”

“Hey! She’s not a dragon,” Takato objects.

“I meant, like, symbolically.” Ryo says, but stops while he’s ahead.

After a brief silence Takato picks up, “I also talked to Kenta about our, erhm, ‘situation.’”

“And what did he say?”

“He said that ‘bad things happen to every body and it’s hard to keep being yourself after they do.’”

“Did you talk to Henry about this? Or anyone else?”

“Not yet. I want to bring it up with Henry when he gets here later.” Takato looks at his friend. “What do you think?”

Ryo blows a raspberry as he thinks. He puts his card deck down on his right and leans back. “Well, answer me this first: how do you feel when you’re with her?”

“I feel like… myself. I don’t know how to explain it. It’s like, when we’re at school and even when I’m home or just walking around, I feel like I’m just sort of sifting through the static. Like I’m in this fog and I just feel… lost. But when she’s around, I feel like, ‘yes, I know where I’m supposed to be.’”

Ryo gives a skeptical look, “So what exactly is the problem?”

Takato sits cross legged and looks down at the space between his legs. “We’ve just been at odds a lot lately. We keep arguing about stuff that isn’t important.”

“Then why argue about it?”

“I don’t know, Ryo.” Takato sounds exasperated. He’s not attacking or defensive. He’s just unsure of himself. “It seems important in that second. Mostly, I just feel like she’s a different person now. One second we’re arguing ferociously, the next she kisses me-”

“Sounds nice.”

“-and the  _ next _ second she’s running away!”

Ryo considers this information. He mulls over everything he knows about Rika; everything he knows about Takato. He offers, “Maybe she has something deeper going on? Maybe you’ve been so focused on your pain that you didn’t stop to consider hers?”

_ ‘“Ya know, you’re not the only one whose been hurt, Takato.”’ _

“Or maybe how your pain has affected her? Kenta makes a really good point. I mean, Rika was hurt by what happened too. Me, and her, and Henry, we all had our struggles.”

Shame rises in Takato. His cheeks sting and his eyes get blurry. He stifles his tears and tries to keep from breaking down. This emotional state is not lost on Ryo. He feels awkward and his mind races to find something to say to comfort his friend. Takato sniffles and quickly brushes a loose tear from his face.

“Okay, look, besides that,” Ryo tries to reel things back in. “Have you ever had an experience where you felt so broken you just couldn’t go on?”

Takato wipes more tears away and his memory flashes back to last Autumn. He remembers meeting Jeri in the park and being rejected and then running through the rainstorm. He was lower than low. 

Takato comes out of his memory and looks up at Ryo through teary eyes. He nods his head. Ryo has a look in his eye of determination. “But we still do. We move on. As much as it hurts, as deep as it goes, we still find a way to get past it, with some time.”

Takato stares out into space and flashes back again.  _ ‘“You idiot, get out of the rain.”’  _ she had yelled at him, not knowing it was him.

_ ‘Gosh it feels like a thousand year ago. She pulled me out of that rainstorm, we reignited our friendship, and I realized I loved her.’ _

Ryo was right. With Rika’s help, he had gotten over that pain of rejection. He had grown up. He had moved on.

“If you’re thinking of breaking up with Rika, Takato, that may seem impossible. Like you or she may never get over it. But I promise you that you will. As much as it hurts, as deep as it goes, you’ll both find a way to get past it… with some time.”

Everything Ryo was saying made sense. Yet none of it felt right. Deep down, Takato knew he loved Rika. But they had drifted off. They went to different schools and wouldn’t be at the same school for another 4 years, and even then they may not be. Maybe they were just too broken to still fit together.

_ ‘Maybe we just need some time apart.’ _

Takato’s eyes were still teary, but there seemed to be a calm about him. Ryo takes this as a good sign as he says, “I gotta say, if you two broke up, I’m not sure who I’d be friends with. I really like you, but I knew her first. And I’ve known her way longer. I’ll still see her at card tournaments. It would be very awkward for me.”

“TAKATO! RYO! The food is here!” a voice calls from downstairs.

Ryo stands up quickly. While Takato remains sitting, Ryo extends a hand. He helps Takato up to a standing position, “Perfect timing. Let’s go eat.”

“Go down, I’m just gonna take another second.”

“Sure.” Ryo exits.

Takato stands alone in his room with his thoughts. He looks at his desk and sees a picture of himself and Rika, smiling, an early spring day. Beside that another picture, on a boat with Henry. Beside that one another picture, this one of Rika sitting at the base of a tree, autumn leaves all around her. His room was filled with memories, which assaulted Takato without mercy.

He remembers it all. It starts with his dream. Her and Renamon cornering him and teasing him about being her ‘dream girl.’ Arguing with her about Digimon. Their many adventures. Their time in the digital world. Fighting the D Reaper together. Sleeping at last at the school and making bread the next day with her and Henry. How they all drifted off after that. To the woods again, and the rain, and Rika saving him. All of his time at her home. His heart swelling for her, the way it swells now when he thinks of her. He remembers it all. Their love. Their relationship. Going back to the Digital World again and fighting The Darkness and killing her and then coming back and just never being the same. Their recent bouts and the dance.

‘ _ Shit.’  _

The realization hits Takato hard. Amidst playing cards with Ryo he had not thought his reply all the way through. He considers reneging on the dance. But that seems worse, somehow. Perhaps it would be best to take a break after the dance was over.  _ 'But that's a battle for another day.' _

Takato walks out of his room and down the stairs to dinner.

* * *

The young blue haired boy lugs a large book bag and totes a travel bag. “MOM! It’s 6:30!”

Henry Wong yells down the hallway of his family’s home. They were running late getting him to Takato’s house for the sleepover. He was excited for a weekend with his friends, and especially because they would be doing homework together and all three were good at different subjects.

“I’ll be there in a second, I’m looking for the car keys!” she calls back to him.

Henry puts his travel bag down and sits at the kitchen table while waiting. Through the windows the horizon is a deep dusk, a dim blueish color. ‘ _ Not exactly dark yet, but soon enough.’  _ From out of the corner of his eye he sees his 9 year old sister Suzie sitting on the couch, watching some cartoon show or movie. He smiles and thinks about how much she has grown in such little time. He is thankful for all of his time with his family. 

_ ‘“IN THE SAND”’ _

The memory corrupts Henry for a second. He shakes his head and looks away. The cave. Ryo. Rika. He was so desperate to find her, that he led them directly into a trap. It was his fault that the Darkness had them.  _ ‘It was my fault, my fault, my fault.’ _ He had tried, and he had failed. It was because of his stupidity that Kazu had died. It was because of his stupidity that Suzie almost died.

A memory comes to mind. Standing above a dream castle, with Takato, helping him prepare for the fights ahead. Taking back control of his own body to help Takato to kill him as BlackMegaGargomon. Disappearing into nothing and then reappearing the next second, returning to life after Takato’s victory at the peak of Mount Sakuya.

Henry was thankful to have survived the latest bout with fate. He was thankful that the Digimon were gone, for good, and that Suzie would never be at risk again. That he would never again disappear into nothing. That he could be with his sister, his friends, go to sleepovers, spend time with his Mom and his Dad.

“Henry? Are you ready?”

Henry looks up and realizes his mother is waiting for him at the door. He picks his things up and moves towards the door, “Yeah, sorry. I was daydreaming.”

“I see that. Just like your father, always in your own little world.”

“Where is Dad tonight anyway?”

As they move towards the elevator his mother searches her purse. She finds her phone and clicks it to review the time. It blinks 6:37 back at her. She replies without much concentration, “Some work thing he had to stay late for, he’ll be home later.”

* * *

“POWER PAW!”

Renamon kicks the enemy in the gut and they go sputtering into a corner at the end of a dark alley. A gray canine Digimon rolls over and groans. She barks at him, “How did you get here? What do you want?”

The digimon crawls further into the corner, taking cover in the shadows. He grumbles to no one, trying to hide away, “It doesn’t matter what I want.”

“Then what are you doing here? How did you get here?”

The digimon rolls over on its side and faces Renamon, standing tall in the light, hidden away from any bystanders who may see a digimon in the flesh. The bruised and bloodied digimon with long black claws and a cat tail looks at her through half-open eyes, “The only thing that matters is our plan.”

Renamon sizes him up from the distance contemplating what they just said. She recognizes this opponent. It’s the rookie level Gazimon, and he had not put up much of a fight. “What exactly is your master plan? Come to the real world and get captured?"

Running around the corner come the three adults, finally catching up. They approach to get a better look, but remain a safe distance behind Renamon. Gazimon sees the figures in the background and lifts its head slightly. He strains his purple eyes through the limited light. The adults step into the light, directly behind Renamon and he sees it.

“It’s you. It’s really you. I found you.” Gazimon says, beaten but excited.

Cautiously, Renamon turns sideways and peers at the Hypnos team. Quickly fog begins to form in silence all around the group.  _ ‘Who did they find? Which one?’ _

They look at one another and after another second, Yamaki steps forward. “What do you want?”

“Mistuo Yamaki,” the weakened rookie says.

Renamon looks back at Gazimon, stunned. All of the adults are shocked to hear his name. Slowly, the monster pushes itself into a sitting position. They stare down through the darkness at the blonde man. They lower their head and only part of their eyes can be seen through the dark. The fog builds up around them.

Their voice is menacing and something sinister glistens in their violet eyes, “You will not come back from this. We will take  _ everything  _ from you.”

Renamon balls her claw into a fist. She begins squatting down to launch up into the air and deliver her killing blow. The fog begins forming around Gazimon. Before she or any of them can react Gazimon opens its maw and shouts, “PARALYZE BREATH!”

From amongst the shadows, built up fog, and limited light, a black gas explodes from their mouth and encompases them. The entire group covers their eyes and mouths. Nonetheless they cough.

“MISTUO! MISTUO!” Riley screams.

“I’m right here!” He calls back.

After a few seconds, everything clears. The fog and the black gas dissipates. Yamaki is still standing. None of them have been taken, none of them are harmed. When the dust clears though Gazimon is gone. The Hypnos group and Renamon are left with his final words. Yamaki hears them echoing in his mind.

_ ‘“You will not come back from this. We will take  _ everything _ from you."' _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: This chapter’s OST is “Dreamgirl” by Dave Matthews Band.
> 
> Love always. Rukato forever.
> 
> Notorious


	7. Drift Off

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rika has a nightmare, then she lives one. Jeri offers advice over tea. Takato runs through the rain (again).

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Part of the journey is the end. Love and be loved. Read… and review!

**Drift Off**

_ Ping-ping-ping! _

_ Ping-ping-ping! _

Riley Yamaki wakes with a start to the sound of the PDA going off. She quickly rolls over in bed and grabs the handheld device on her nightstand. Through bleary, sleepy eyes she tries to read the screen. Though not at full capacity, her brain processes it nonetheless.

_ 'Oh shit.' _

She shakes her husband until he awakens. "Mitsuo, wake up, we have to go."

He scrambles up in the bed, startled. "What, what's wrong?"

She hands him her PDA. He reads it hastily, struggling to make meaning. When he comprehends it the realization washes over him like an ice bath. He picks up his phone and calls Janyu.

* * *

Renamon watches on from her normal hiding spot near the Nonaka garden. She sits on the high wall and thinks about Rika. She wishes she could speak to her, to help her through whatever is going on in her life currently. 

Renamon looks out into the starless night and takes in the full moon. She contemplates how she can assist the girl without breaching the agreement with Yamaki. Part of her wishes she had never agreed to sneak aboard the arc. _ 'A life amongst the shadows is no life at all.' _

Several minutes away, three adults speed towards her location. Renamon is staring off into the distance and never sees it happening. Slowly gathering on the back porch of the Nonaka residence is a volume of fog. It becomes dense and solid until from within a pair of violet eyes appear. Emerging from the fog is a small animal, wearing a metal helmet and legs made of smoke. The small digimon floats towards the sliding door of Rika's bedroom. Slowly it pushes the door open ever so slightly, just enough to catch a glimpse of the girl. Even the smallest window to her will do.

Something moves in the peripheral of Renamon's vision. She turns towards the Nonaka residence and her entire body becomes stiff. She did not feel the enemy's presence at any point, which alarms her, but more importantly is that a wild digimon is about to enter Rika's bedroom! She launches herself from the wall immediately.

' _ Perfect.'  _ Through the crack in the door, hidden in the dark is the sleeping redhead. Tapirmon concentrates and whispers, "Nightmare Syndrome."

He watches as the teenage girl groans and rolls over in her sleep. Before Tapirmon can make his escape though, he is tackled by the golden fox.

They tumble away until Tapirmon is able to hoist himself up and take off running. Renamon gives chase. He leaps over the wall and she follows. They move down the street, Tapirmon surprisingly agile, getting further away from Renamon when suddenly a pair of bright lights appear. Tapimon dodges the car and slides into a back alley. Yamaki and Riley emerge from the vehicle and leave it running in the middle of the street to follow Renamon as she chases.

A second car comes to a halt behind them a second later and Janyu Wong is out and running after them as well. Having run them directly into a dead end, Tapirmon accepts that this is where his journey will end. He has accomplished his mission, so now he must return to his master. From behind him he hears his assailant call out.

"DIAMOND STORM!"

A thousand blades cut into him and he collapses into a heap on the ground. Renamon approaches quickly and uses her foot to roll over the animal and force him to look up at her. She lifts a paw on fire with a white flame. There is a fury in her voice, "WHAT DID YOU DO?"

Tapirmon pushed her leg off of him. He sees the three humans arrive as well. A wheezing, raspy voice speaks to them all, "Did you think all of this would last?"

The humans approach until they stand directly behind Renamon, the four of them forming a barrier from exiting for the holy digimon. They look down upon it like the dying animal it is. Janyu offers, "How about you tell us what you’re doing here and how you got here? Maybe we can offer you some assistance in exchange." 

"Or perhaps we can end your suffering faster." Renamon interjects.

Tapirmon keeps his eyes squarely on the man in charge. Yamaki asks, "What did we think would last?"

The animal smiles mischievously and spits out, "Peace."

Yamaki furrows his brow at this and the others all look on confused as well. Tapirmon goes on, "There is no peace time for those who succeed during war time. You've shown your true colors. And now? Do you hear that?"

_ CRACK _

High above them the heavens groan with thunder. "There's a storm coming, Mitsuo. You and your friends better batten down the hatches."

The dying digimon laughs manically. "AHA! AH HAHAHA."

"What's so funny? You think dying is a joke?" Renamon asks.

"He's coming for you. I am just an apostle to him. Here to be a harbinger of his vengeance. He is coming for you and you'll die alone."

Renamon shoots down at it, "You're the only one here who's going to die alone."

Yamaki steps towards the animal and it provides exactly what the digimon needs. A line of sight on the electronic device in his hand.

"Whose coming?"

"VIRUS BUSTER!"

His purple eyes glow red quickly and the attack sends a shockwave into all of them. Renamon is pushed back slightly. She regains her footing and goes to attack but just as she does, she watches it happen. Tapirmon melts into the shadows around him. He simply slips into the pavement and is gone. There is no trace of him at all. It's like he was never even there.

* * *

Rika Nonaka is falling. She sees many lights.  _ 'Green, red, blue, white. Lights.'  _ Everything is so bright that she is blinded. She shuts her eyes and then feels it.

_ THUD! splash _

Rika has landed very suddenly. She opens her eyes and finds herself ankle deep in water. The water is not exactly blue though, instead a mix of purple and a deep navy. All around her, the sky, the horizon, it is the same shade of purple and deep navy. She looks down at her hands and she is holding something. It is wooden. She blinks and realizes it is an empty rowboat. She looks to her right and becomes alarmed. She is holding this small boat, in ankle-deep purple water, at the edge of a waterfall. She looks back to her left and her alarm increases.

"Don't feel guilty about this, Rika."

Takato now sits in the boat and smiles at her. He's wearing his classic blue hoodie and gray sweatpants. He seems younger in a way. Rika looks at him and emotions start running wild. "Takato, what's happening?"

"Rika, just know this: when I drift off, I will dream about you. It's always you."

"Takato, please."

Rika releases the boat. She does not want to, but she can't stop herself either. Takato looks onward and slowly the boat rocks forward, tipping over the edge. Rika wants to grab it and stop him. Instead, the boat goes over the fall and Takato disappears from view.

Rika peers over the edge to watch him go. She is staring directly down into a darkness, which consumes her vision. It is all black until some of it fades into the deep navy. 

Rika slowly realizes that she is floating down. ' _ Did I fall down the waterfall?'  _ As she descends the scene unfolds. It is dark out, the middle of the night, but she recognizes it. She is floating down towards the isolated pond hidden in the Shinjuku Central Park. This is her and Takato's secret spot. Some of her fondest memories of their love live here. Her eyes focus and she realizes that there is someone standing on the rocks, facing the pond. It is a young boy, but it is not Takato. Their physique is different. It is someone else.

She is almost to the ground when she hears him, "And where did that bring you?" He slowly turns around.

Rika falls from the sky and suddenly she realizes that Takato is falling with her. His hands on her hips as they plummet to their death into a dark void. She couldn't see how far they were but they both screamed.

"AHHHH!"

Slowly, he turns in the air. Soon enough, he has his back facing the ground, while Rika is above him. "Takato! Why are you-"

He places his fingers over her lips. Smiling, Takato says to her, "You'll need... something to land on..."

_ WHAM! _

She hits the ground hard. Takato is gone. She stands up and finds herself alone in the darkness. She turns around and a mirror appears a few feet away. She cautiously steps towards it. As she comes into view she is horrified. She looks back at herself, but her image is warped.

Her hair is blood red, and amidst the lilac hue of her eyes was a black ring. She notices that she is wearing her old Tamers outfit. The white and green shirt with the heart. Her reflection wears the one with the broken heart. When she looks down though her own shirt is the full-heart version. She looks back and remembers. Her reflection is the Darkness Rika.

She remembers when this version of her controlled her body. Rika does not control herself this time either. She wants to run but instead stays and looks at the reflection, which moves on its own. ‘ _ Is this what I look like now? Is this who I am? Or am I different from the reflection?’  _ It scowls at her.

"She died alone." Her reflection says. " _ You  _ will die alone."

Rika shuts her eyes.  _ 'No! No no no no no! This isn't happening. None of this is real! I'm not here! It's like Jeri said, I am not here right now. I am somewhere else.' _

Rika opens her eyes and finds she _ is _ somewhere else. She is back on the beach of the Dark Ocean World. She stares directly into the mouth of a cave entrance.

_ 'No. Anywhere but here.' _

From behind her two figures walk forward. Henry and Ryo turn around and face her. They share the same exact expression on their face: mouth wide open smiles, eyes closed. "Come on, Rika, we gotta check this cave." Ryo says, extending a hand towards Rika.

She does not take it. A thousand warnings catch in her throat. She can not speak. Henry reaches out as well, "Please, Rika. Help us find Suzie. Her foot is stuck  _ IN THE SAND." _

Ryo's hand stretches and covers her mouth, preventing her from screaming. Henry's hand stretches and covers her eyes, shrouding her in black.

She blinks and she is on the beach. She is halfway across the beach, almost to the water. The waves come and go. It is almost peaceful. She looks down and finds her fingers interlocked with another. The feeling warms her heart. She traces the arm and finds she is holding hands with a brunette girl. Jeri turns sideways at her and smiles shyly. Jeri looks away for a second and then returns to looking at Rika. She leans in and whispers, "Be like the wave, Rika." She pauses and smiles wider. "Crash, and return to the ocean." 

Her body snapshots forward. She is alone at the edge of the water. Jeri is gone. She shifts forward and is ankle deep in the ocean water now. She shifts forward and she is chest deep. A wave rises above her head. She closes her eyes, moves her head, and braces for impact.

A few seconds go by and Rika realizes that no such wave crashed upon her. She opens her eyes.

She sits at a bench beneath a large oak tree. She noticed the heart carved into the tree and the letters "D + E" within the heart. The tree is alive and has all of its leaves. The clouds in the sky are blue, violet and billowing. All around her is orange-red light. The grass is bright green. There is laughter all around her. The sun breaks through the trees and washes everything in a perfect golden daylight.

Rika realizes she is not alone. Sitting next to her is Takato. He doesn’t wear his old outfit any more, but a more modern set of clothes. He smiles at her warmly and reaches out for her hand. Rika grabs it instinctively and they stare at one another. Rika feels happy. This is everything she wanted. To be in love. To be happy. To just be with him.

The light fades into an azul blue. Rika looks up at the tree and it is dead. The leaves are gone, it is barren, and covered in snow. She looks down at the ground and finds the snow is gone. There is light grass, and fallen leaves all around her. She looks again and it is Autumn now. The tree is alive, but dying. Her eyes look back to the hand in hers. It is different, but the same.

She looks up and the snow returns in the background. It is Takato, but he is older. His face is wrinkled, and he looks tired. His hair is gray. He struggles to breath. His eyes are worn, but they are still the almond she has always known and loved. He smiles the same smile at her. He huffs through the pain and works up the courage to speak.

“Come on, Rika,” he says, his voice hoarse. “You promised that we’d stay for the sunset.”

This strikes a cord with Rika. She is stunned momentarily. She asks, “What?”

Behind him something catches her eyes and she looks away. The snow fades. It evaporates right before her eyes.

A different but familiar voice speaks. “You promised.” 

Rika looks back and Takato is gone. It is a man she remembers but can not place. He is taller than her. Average build, with tall brown hair that sticks out in the back. He wears a light green polo and on his wrist is a white watch. Rika knows this man. She remembers him. He looks at her like he is waiting for her to say anything. To confirm that she promised that they would stay for the sunset. Her eyes tear up and her voice cracks as she speaks.

“Dad?”

She looks down at his white watch and remembers it so fondly. Tears fall slowly. She looks back up and her father is gone. It is Takato again. His eyes are pained but he tries to smile. “Stay, Rika.”

More tears fall and she tries to comprehend everything. His voice is broken when he speaks again, “I want you to stay.”

Rika blinks away the tears and when she does Takato is gone. She is alone. She has always been alone.

She looks up at the tree. It is barren and dead. Old and brittle. Suddenly, lightning strikes the tree and it catches on fire. It rages a burning inferno in front of her. Then it just stops. The fire stops. The letters "D + E" fade from the tree, the heart carving fades. The tree stops. The tree disappears. Rika is alone on the bench.

She stands up and walks away. As she does, a little girl with red hair the same as her own appears, skipping in front of her, a few paces ahead. She walks the familiar path. She passes a stairwell that she remembers from so many times before.  _ ‘Guilmon’s hideout.’ _ She looks up at the stairwell. It is not a concrete path to an abandoned, gated, small building. Instead, the steps are made of blue and violet, billowing clouds. There is no abandoned hideout at the top, but instead a rising, shining golden gate.

Rika does not break stride. She continues on. She looks down at the flowers and foliage and they are frozen over. The little girl is gone. She has arrived at the fountain and from it spurts water high into the air, but the water is black and grey like it comes from the ocean. Rika stops and tries to mentally process everything. Suddenly she hears a voice.

_ “Promise that we'll stay for the sunset, _

_ and when the moon shines through the darkness…” _

Rika is standing at a swing set, pushing someone. Rika is the one singing. She pushes lightly and sings loudly.

_ “We can find the path that can lead us home _

_ and on the way you'll- maybe- sing me a song?” _

Rika looks down and she finds that it is Takato who swings lightly, going nowhere. He looks up at her and smiles softly. Rika looks back up at the sunset.

_ “Promise that you always will be there. _

_ Hold my hand if ever I'm real scared.” _

“Please don’t leave me, Daddy.” A small, quiet, girly voice says to Rika.

She looks down and Takato is gone. Stopped swinging, it is herself. She is younger, much younger. She looks up at her older self with immense sadness. Rika pushes the swingset and the little girl looks away. She can not stop herself from singing. 

_ “Help me stand up tall if I fall down. _

_ Make me laugh away on my bluest days” _

As the young girl flies higher and higher suddenly she is gone. Takato is back on the swing. He climbs higher and higher. He yells out to her as he reaches back to impossible heights. “IF YOU LOVE ME, RIKA, THEN LET ME GO!”

As the swing flies forward he launches off of it and falls. 

_ “How could you promise you always would be there?” _

He hits the ground and is motionless. Rika stops singing. She moves towards Takato without saying a word. As she gets closer he does not move. His body is lifeless. She stops and stands over top of him. A trail of blood drips from his mouth and both nostrils. His eyes are vacant and stare out into the sky. A pool of red forms underneath him quickly. Rika gets on her hands and knees and grabs his body, placing her hands over a wound in his chest. She feels the tears flowing and can’t stop them. The blood pools into a puddle. Rika looks down at the blood and slowly something begins rising from it.

At first a nose and then a long snout. A pair of slanted eyes. Rising high above Rika, larger than a building, is a monster. It never takes its eyes off of her. It spreads its wings and slams its claws into the ground. Rika tries to protect Takato’s dead body by pulling it in closer to her. She looks up and realizes that the monster is a dragon. She stares into its eyes and realizes it is made completely out of blood, except for its eyes. Its violet eyes stare into her, and she stares back.

It opens it maw and Rika sees a ball of fire begin to build. It roars and a jet of flame explodes forth.

“RAWR!”

Rika Nonaka shoots up from lying down. She breathes quick, successive breaths. She is shrouded in darkness. She feels soaking wet. Her clothes stick tightly to her, yet she still feels sweat running down her head and back. She clutches her blanket tightly and holds it against her. Her eyes dart around the room, looking for the dragon made of blood. Looking for Takato’s dead body. Looking for any sign that she was still dreaming, that it was still happening, that any of it was real. She looks at a clock in her room and reads it through the darkness. It is slightly after 4:30 in the morning. She looks around her room again and finds something odd. The sliding door to her back porch is open slightly.

Rika scrambles to the dresser where her mirror and backpack are located. She opens the front zipper and pulls out the screwdriver she has been keeping hidden away. She remembers the mirror and the blood red hair and the dark rings. Slowly she looks up at her own reflection in the mirror. It is dark, but her hair is not blood red, but instead it’s normal ginger red. Her shoulder length hair sticks to her from all of the sweat. She stares into her eyes through the darkness, looking for any sign of the black rings. She strains to see, but in the end she sees her lilac iris glowing in the dark like a purple flame in the abyss, steadily keeping the white and black at bay.

She turns away from the mirror and carefully approaches the sliding door, screwdriver again fashioned as a weapon against any intruders. She reaches the door and peers out into the early morning dusk through the slight crack. Nothing moves. No wind chimes sing. There isn’t even a wind to blow through her garden. 

She is alone. She has always been alone.

* * *

“They’re completely fried," Janyu says to Riley. He is on his hands and knees, examining his and her PDAs, which are smoking.

“This is unacceptable!” Renamon sneers at Yamaki. “This will not go on any longer.”

“Can we repair them?” Riley asks Janyu, ignoring the hard headed argument for the time being.

“They’re clearly not even after the children. They’re trying to get to  _ us _ .” He spits back.

“That Tapirmon attacked Rika!”

“I thought you were standing guard at her house?” He shoots back.

“Mitsuo.” Riley says softly.

“They appeared out of thin air when I wasn’t looking.”

“Isn’t that convenient?” He questions.

“Mitsuo.” Riley says more sternly and he looks at her now. The disappointment is evident on her face.

Renamon lets this exchange happen before continuing on, toned down. “You saw him. These aren’t normal digimon. He just evaporated into the ground.”

Yamaki is stressed but tries to dial it back. “We got the alert and came as quickly as we could.” 

“I’m not sure,” Janyu starts, trying to talk to at least Riley but not even she is listening now.

“I need to go back, Rika could still be in danger.”

“Hold on, we need to talk about this.” Riley interjects, surprisingly.

“No, Rika was a target for this attack, and they clearly have more coming. Two weeks ago was one thing, but now? I will not allow for this.”

She begins to stride away when Yamaki says, “Please, stop.”

Renamon waits and turns her head to look back at him but does not turn her body. The early morning darkness mixed with the streetlight cast her shadow back towards the humans. Yamaki’s voice is calm now. “I’m sorry. It’s just… there’s blood on my hands.”

Janyu looks up at him from the ground. Riley is caught off guard by this statement. Renamon carefully turns around. “I have spent my life working towards Hypnos. All of this, all that’s happening, all that happened this summer that we couldn’t help with. It is my life’s greatest failure. What happened to the boy.” He pauses in contemplation. “And if anything were to happen to Rika or-”

“I feel the same.” Renamon assures him. “We are on the same side.”

Yamaki’s words resonated with Janyu. He stares up at his associate and thinks through how much blood he has on his own hands. Riley steps towards Yamaki and takes his hand in hers. “We can make this right.”

“Can we? Are you sure?” He asks, earnestly. “I’m not sure if we get to come back from all of it. Me, you, the children, all of us. We’ve all faced so much.”

Riley smiles at him, rubbing his hand. “Which is why we need to rally. We can’t let whatever storm they are sending get to Rika or Henry or us or any of them.”

Renamon looks down at the man kneeling on the ground, “I can not be all over the city at once. How long will it take you to repair those machines?”

Janyu turns around and looks at Renamon a second, then looks at the device in his hand. “Ugh, a week maybe? There’s just a lot of technical things, and rebuilding them won’t be easy.”

“That’s not good enough," Renamon says. “You need to repair them sooner than that. What if they come again? I didn’t even sense them this time. Next time they could kill me instead of attacking one of the Digidestined.”

Yamaki looks down at Janyu. “What if we all put time into it? Round the clock work at Hypnos? We can track emergences from there while building new PDAs. How long do you think it would take then?”

Janyu rolls this thought over in his head and does some guesswork, “Three, maybe even two days if we’re efficient.”

Riley chirps, “Perfect. I’ll establish a schedule for us to work in shifts.”

“Thank you.” Yamaki says to his wife.

“In the meantime,” Renamon refocuses them. “We need to bring Rika and the others into the loop. We can’t let all of this just continue.”

Yamaki concedes. “Okay. Yes. We will. Tomorrow.”

Renamon does not like this, but things have been tense to this point. She feels uneasy but nods her head in agreement. After another second she starts to walk away into the night and then teleports away.

_ Swoosh _

Yamaki reaches down and offers a hand to Janyu, pulling him up. He and Riley leave the deadend and head back towards their car, remarking to one another about whether to go back to bed when they get home or not. 

As they slink off Janyu stays put a moment longer. Yamaki’s words linger over him.  _ ‘“I’m not sure if we get to come back from all of it.”’  _ It was a good question, he thought to himself.

_ ‘Do we get to come back from it?’ _

* * *

Forty-five minutes after waking up suddenly, Rika steps into the bathroom to get ready for school. Her mind is occupied with her nightmares and night sweats and open doors. She can not shake any of it and just as she starts to forget about one aspect of it, another part soars to the top of her memory. Unlike good dreams, where the details quickly fade and she tries to chase those elusive pleasantries, she finds that she remembers everything from these nightmares perfectly. Every detail is etched into her mind. 

She needs to let this out. She pulls out her flip phone and thinks about who to text. She wants to talk to Takato, but she does not want him to think of her as a burden. She decides who to text.

TO: Jeri Katou

MESSAGE: Can i call you after school today? Or if ur free could youcome over?

She puts the phone down and steps into the shower. As she cleans she tries to distract her mind. She thinks ahead to her day.  _ 'Friday. I think it's a B Day, so computer class. Then later dinner at Takato's place with his parents. Gosh, this is the first time I'm seeing him in over a month.'  _

Takato in the boat at the edge of the waterfall.  _ '"Don't feel guilty about this. When I drift off I will dream about you."' _ Takato under the tree.  _ '"You promised."' _ Takato, older, dying.  _ '"Stay."' _ Takato on the swing set.  _ '"If you love me, let me go."'  _ His lifeless body. The body. The blood.

Rika looks down at her hands as water pours over them. She almost expects to see the blood still on them. The way the sand had followed her home. She doesn't want to think about any of it. She feels a fatigue set in. She let's the hot water wash over her, wishing it would wash away the pain.

She steps out of the shower and dries herself off. She is in the middle of putting on her school uniform when Jeri finally texts her back.

_ Bzz Bzz _

FROM: Jeri Katou

MESSAGE: Sure, ill come rite over after!! Is everything OK? ;___;

Rika is relieved to know she can rely on Jeri to be there for her. It's hard for Rika to reach out, given that everyone knows her for being cold and calculating. Knowing that Jeri sees beyond it means so much to her. She types her reply, then finishes getting ready for school. For the first time, Rika starts to forget the nightmares.

* * *

"So what do you think it all meant?" 

Rika settles further into her living room seat with a cup of tea. The light clatter of the rain against the house provides a natural background noise. Rika sat with her legs underneath her and looks to her girlfriend for counsel. They make eye contact from across the room, as Jeri sits with her own cup of tea on the couch.

"Well, Rika, I'm not sure. Sometimes our dreams mean something and sometimes they mean nothing. And we all have dreams that mean nothing."

Rika looks down at her tea. This comment was familiar to Rika. It's exactly what she had told Takato after his dreams about Kazu appearing to him around the city. Rika was discouraged, but shouldn't have expected more from Jeri. Not more than she was able to give at least.

"But if I had to guess, I would say this is rooted in something deep in you right now. Something you're struggling with."

Rika looks back to Jeri, who is looking at her but wears an expression of contemplation. The gears turn in her head as she works through what to say next.

Finally, Jeri goes on, "You said earlier that you haven't seen him in over a month. And you two left things in such a bad place and that was right before I found you alone, in the park. You were in bad shape."

Rika nods her head at all of this.

"Now we've all started high school, and I still see him every day and everyone else and you're the only one who's off somewhere else. And I just think, you know, maybe you're not sure where this relationship goes from here."

Rika mulls this over herself. She feels like her relationship with Takato has reached a crossroads. Rika feels insecure in her relationship, insecure in her schooling, insecure in her life. She has struggled to adjust to high school, she's not sure what is happening in her love life, and even somehow outside of both of those she has been lost and wandering in her personal life. Nothing felt right anymore.

_ 'Nothing, except for Jeri.' _

This is the friendship that Rika needs right now. Someone who will listen and be there and be present, like right now. This used to be Takato.

_ 'Maybe it still can be Takato?' _

Rika looks at Jeri and says, "Thank you, Jeri. This helps a lot."

"Does it?" Jeri asks earnestly, taking a sip of her tea. "I don't feel like I said a lot."

"It does. I think I know now. You're right, everything has been in flux. But I want Takato to be here with me. I want to be there for him. I want it to work, so I have to work for it."

Jeri is pleased to hear this. She wants Rika to be happy. She wants Takato to be happy too. She thinks they are happiest when they are together. Rika thinks about how Jeri has been a shining beacon through all of this. Adrift the shores of uncertainty, Jeri has been a lighthouse guiding Rika home--to Takato. 

_ Screech _

A car comes to a halt outside of the Nonaka house. Rika smiles across the room, "Jeri, thank you for staying by my side recently. Things haven't been easy and I'm not the easiest friend to be sometimes and-" she trails off.

_ Slam _

A thought comes to Jeri, a memory. She replies, "Hey, remember, it's like I said: I'm right here, Rika. I'm right here."

_ Click clack click clack clickclack clickclack _

Rika is confused a moment before the memory returns to her. When Jeri had rescued her from the dark ocean, that is what Jeri had said to her. 

_ WHOOSH _

Rika's eyes turn towards the front door. Rumiko Nonaka bursts forward into the house, lightly soaked by the sheet of rain outside. Rika is surprised by her mother's sudden appearance. "Mom?"

Rumiko is in the middle of carefully removing her rain jacket and shoes when she notices Rika in a living room chair, and another brunette girl on the couch. "Hello, Rika! And we have a visitor?"

"It's me! Jeri Katou." 

"What are you doing home, Mom?"

Rumiko puts her bag down on the kitchen counter and then proceeds into the home. She finds a seat near the girls and crashes down. "Oh Rika, it was awful. We were planning this beautiful afternoon shoot, and then this storm came out of nowhere overnight. Completely ruined our entire day!"

"I'm sorry to hear that, Mrs. Nonaka, I'm sure you would have looked very pretty."

Rumiko takes a long look at the brunette girl she recognizes from Rika's various adventures. She closes her eyes and stretches out in the seat, wanting to relax now that she is home. "Why thank you, Jeri. Rika, please keep her around, I like when your friends compliment me."

Jeri giggles at this while Rika rolls her eyes. Rumiko asks them, "So what are you two doing, what were you chatting about before I so rudely interrupted?"

"Oh, ummm…" Rika is visibly uncomfortable. Jeri sees this, and if her mother looked at her too she would see it as well. Jeri throws her a life raft. She improvises, "Oh, we were just talking about how excited we are to go to the school dance tomorrow!"

"Hm? Is that right?" Rumiko asks, finally opening her eyes again.

"Oh, of course. We're going to go and dance and just have all kinds of fun!" Jeri adds, smiling.

Rumiko does not reply. It doesn't suit her, but she takes on a reserved role. She listens to the teen girls chat for a moment. Rika quips, "I don't even know what to wear."

Jeri replies, "You always look good no matter what, Rika!"

"Dresses just aren't my thing so I'm not sure what to do about it."

Rumiko makes a mental note of this. She stands up without another word and walks away. She pulls out her phone to text an associate. The girls' idle conversation drags on for a few more minutes. Eventually Jeri excuses herself to fight through the rain and return home. Rika prepares for dinner at the Matsuki's. Mostly she thinks about Jeri's being "right here," even when she's gone.

* * *

_ '"He who fights monsters should see to it that he himself does not become a monster."' _

Henry Wong reviewed the prompt over and over again. He has all weekend to write a one-page paper responding to this philosophical quote, but with the school dance tomorrow night he wants to get a leg up on it now before he can't focus on it at all.

_ 'We fought all kinds of monsters. Wild digimon, the Devas, the D-Reaper, the Darkness. But we never became them? How do I relate to this?' _

Henry reflects on a lifetime of memories. Perhaps his Sensei would be able to assist him. He recalls the lessons about the Devas, and how even they thought what they were doing was for a greater good. In that sense, Henry and the others were the villains to the Devas' story.

_ 'But did that make us monsters too? For trying to protect our city and our world?' _

Henry taps his pencil against a notepad trying to brainstorm ideas. He sits alone at the desk in his bedroom and can't seem to figure out what to say. He hears the hallway floor creak and then looks up to his bedroom door being lightly pushed open. His father stands in the doorway, "Hey son, dinner will be ready any minute. You should make your way towards the kitchen."

"Sure thing, Dad."

Janyu Wong stares a minute as Henry appears to be consumed in his work. He offers, "Need any help with that, Henry?"

Henry looks at his father and tries to think about how he could help with the quote. Memories flood into him. A sunset sky and watching Terriermon float away comes to mind.

He replies, "No, I think I just had a breakthrough." 

"Great! Well don't be late for dinner." He goes to make his leave.

"Hey, Dad, wait." Henry stops him. Janyu holds and backs up into the door frame.

Henry relives the moment in his mind. His father wanted to do what he thought was best at the time. They were fighting monsters, but instead he hurt Henry and all of his friends. That didn't make his father a monster, but his intentions got lost in the impact. "Dad, you once told me that 'in time it will get better.'"

Janyu is stung with the reminder. He doesn't know what to say to his son momentarily. He opens his mouth to reply but Henry cuts him off. "I feel like that's true, now. With time, it's all going to get better."

Many conflicting thoughts and words collide in Janyu's head. He isn't sure how to respond but Henry is waiting for a reaction. He smiles at his son, "Thank you, Henry. I appreciate you saying that."

Henry smiles widely up at his father, eyes full of adoration, "I love you, Dad."

Heart warming, head swarming, Janyu Wong replies, "I love you too."

They stare another moment longer before Janyu says, "Dinner. Kitchen. Few minutes."

He steps away and thinks about the emerging digimon. Gazimon and Tapirmon and the warnings and the threats and the smoking PDAs. It was more important than ever that they buckle down and get a hold of all that was going on. Outside, a storm raged on all of Shinjuku.

* * *

Takehiro Matsuki holds the back door open as Rika steps out of the downpour and into the warmth of the bakery. “Come on in!” He welcomes her.

“Thank you!” She replies, carefully putting her book bag down and then removing her rain jacket.

“Gosh, it got rough out there in a hurry.”

“Yeah.” Rika says and now stands awkwardly in the hallway with Mr. Matsuki.

They look at one another for a second, unsure of what to say. The older gentleman offers, “Ugh, Takato stepped into the shower a few minutes ago. He should be down any second. He got drenched on his way home, so…”

Rika tries to think of something to say but just stands there and nods her head, “Right, right.”

“Rika! Come in here, dear!”

Mrs. Matsuki calls Rika into a living room and the redheaded teenager happily bounds away. She finds the older woman sitting at a coffee table with a slew of pictures in front of her. "Come here, I want to show you some things I found this week."

Rika steps into the room and sits down with her. Yoshie Matsuki spends several minutes with the young girl flipping through a number of rather embarrassing pictures of Takato from his childhood. Rika hones in on one of him drawing on the floor, giant aviator goggles loosely hanging around his neck. The picture is from a few years before she met him, he was probably 9 or 10. He is sitting cross legged on the floor, leaning full body over a drawing pad. He looks so full of life and it warms Rika just looking at it.

Rika doesn't notice it, but at that exact moment Takato enters the doorway. He looks at her from across the room. He wants to remain cool, and distant, to ease the pain of next week, but his heart aches. He is excited to see her for the first time in over a month.

"Oh, I love that one!" Mrs. Matsuki says, peeking at the picture that Rika holds in her fingers. 

Rika looks up and sees an older version of the boy in the picture. She scans him for a moment and then holds eye contact for a second. She stares at him and replies, "I do too."

* * *

"It's going to be so much fun. I'm really surprised we could get our whole group back together again!"

"I know. I thought they may want to have nothing to do with me anymore."

"Jeri really pushed everyone to come to the table on it, so we can thank her, I guess."

Rika thinks that's not the only thing for which she should thank Jeri. The teenagers sit on the floor of Takato's bedroom, idly playing a card match. Rika doesn't put much thought into her decisions and still wins without effort. The rain continues to pound against the home but they've both blocked it out at this point. For Rika, dinner had been a turbulent experience. She couldn't help but feel like Takato was tender, but at the same time distant. He was present, but not all the way.

"Are you sure you're okay having everyone meet at your place before?"

"Yeah, my Mom and GrandMa are excited. Mom loves to play host and be the center of attention."

"Hey, are you okay if Kenta comes? He doesn't have a date and-"

"Why wouldn't I be?"

"Oh, well, I, I mean he, ugh…"

"I mean, it's totally fine. I like Kenta."

"You do?"

Rika cuts Takato's deck and passes him her own deck. Kenta had annoyed her in their initial adventures, but due to all of her time with him and all of the time that had passed since, she felt a sort of connection to him. She was surprised at Takato's surprise.

"Yeah. He was annoying before, but he's not a bad guy. If we're letting Ryo come, we'll let anyone come, right?"

Rika chuckles to herself at this but it never even registers with Takato. His mind flashes to his conversation with Kenta on this very floor about a month ago. They had talked about how Rika had always hated Kenta and he had demonized her in return as Takato began, in earnest, to consider ending their relationship. He felt guilty now and wished that Kenta could have been a fly on the wall for this moment.

"Yeah, no, totally, I agree." But at that exact moment Takato wasn't sure if he did agree. 

_ CRACK _

Thunder crashes outside. He cuts Rika's deck and passes it back to her. Rika raises an eyebrow at his deliberate wording. She makes a mental note to wonder about that later.

As she draws her opening hand she says to him, "Well, Goggle Head, I'm glad you're making all these new friends and doing so well at Shinjuku. No such luck for me."

Takato draws his hand and they start their match. He replies, "Oh, I'm sure it's not  _ all  _ bad."

She forces a contemptuous laugh, "Yeah, no, it's pretty miserable. Just like Kagurazaka, they're all bitches and they all hate me."

"That's terrible, Rika." He says with a frown.

"At least the feeling's mutual," she quips.

"I wish it wasn't that way for you," he replies.

"Well, we can't all be popular in school our entire lives," she says, playing a card and ending her turn.

" _ Our entire lives _ ? That's a stretch. I was just as weird as you before high school. We were just different kinds of weird."

_ CRACK _

Rika scoffs, "You at least made friends. Before I met you and Henry, I had no one."

She stops playing and tries to share a moment with Takato. He is engrossed in his cards and strategizing that he never notices. After waiting another second to see if he would notice she returns to looking at her own hand.

"I used to have nothing. Then I became an Digidestined. And I was better because of it."

She stares down at her cards in her lap and feels a sadness sweep over her. Takato looks up and sees this. He replies, "They're  _ our  _ friends, Rika. And they're all excited to see you tomorrow."

He stares at her and tries to draw her eyes up to him. Her mind is so preoccupied that she never feels his stare on the top of her head. He stares a second longer then awkwardly returns to looking at his cards. His words finally reach her. She laughs and says, "That's not true, Takato."

The next thing out of her mouth comes from a place of deep pain. She knows it and she almost doesn't want to say it. But she feels it. So she must.

"If we broke up, they would all choose you. I  _ know _ it."

Takato shakes his head and looks up at the top of her head again, "No, Rika, _I_ _know_ that's not true."

She raises her head and they finally make eye contact. "How? How do you  _ know  _ that?"

Takato answered because he wanted to reassure her of her worth to their friends. He knows she is valued and wants her to know it too.

"Ryo, for one, would probably choose you over me because of all of the card tournaments and such."

"Oh gosh, not the card tournaments again, Takato."

"That's not what I -"

_ CR-CRACK _

_ " _ And why would you even think that? What did you talk to him about it, or something?"

Takato suddenly averts his eyes, "N-no! C'mon, that's ridiculous."

Takato's voice betrays him. Suddenly the fervor of the moment has been sapped out of the room. Rika feels her breath catch. Time seems to slow down as she stares at her boyfriend, who can't even manage to look at her anymore. Slowly she says, "Takato… are you thinking-"

"No."

"-about-"

"No, Rika, I am-"

"Did I do something?" Rika sits up on her legs but feels herself leaving her body.

Takato looks up at the redhead with lilac eyes. He tries to convey his emotions into those eyes, "Rika, listen, I love you."

Now it is Rika's voice who betrays her. She looks directly at him, "Takato, have you talked to your friends about breaking up with me?"

"Rika, I-"

"Tell the truth. You once promised me to tell the truth. I don't care how much it hurts." Rika feels her eyes stinging. There are blots forming and she blinks them away, determined to keep eye contact with her boyfriend. 

Takato stares at her teary eyes and feels shame. This wasn't how this was supposed to go. This wasn't how any of it was supposed to go. He wasn't even sure he wanted to do it. He still loves her. But he remembers all the promises at sunset. He meant them like the rest.

_ 'She deserves the truth.'  _

He pauses, exacerbated. Finally, he says, "Yes."

Her mind races through so many thoughts and questions. She finally pumps out, "Who?"

"Henry. And Ryo. And Kenta." He replies. The reality of this moment begins crashing onto Rika, like a wave. 

Neither teenager says anything. Takato looks away in shame. Rika does as well, but it is a different shame. They do not say a word, but they think about the same things. Their minds raced through their memories together.

The fights at the beginning. The bond they formed as friends. The park and the rainstorm. Rika singing for him at sunset. Takato staring out the rain-soaked window in the corner of her bedroom. Running into Henry trudging through 2 feet of snow, in the park. The time with Rika’s Mom and Grandma. Baking the bread with their friends. Admitting they loved each other. How Rika felt like his parents cared for her as much as they did for him. The space as they drifted off. The time at their secret pond in the park. The pain of the last few months. Burying Kazu’s empty casket. The arguments, but wanting to fix things. The deep rooted hurt of wanting to cure the pain of the other and falling from the sky while trying. The burning, burning memories of their relationship. The smouldering flame of their love over the last month when they were apart. All of it. They remembered it all, all too well.

And now it is ending. 

Rika comes out of the trance first and asks, "Am I not good enough?"

Takato looks up and the tears flow freely down her face. A part of Takato feels guilty that he's not crying himself. But he can't force himself to cry.

_ 'None of this feels right.' _

The only thing Takato knows is that he wants to go to her right now.

_ 'I want to hold her and dry her tears and kiss her and tell her everything is going to be okay.'  _

"Rika…"

"Why? Why are you doing this? Do you n-," she stifles a snob as best she can. She rolls up her sleeve and wipes her face and nose, remnants of snot rubbing against it. She asks the question that her mind obsesses over, "Do you not love me anymore?"

Hearing the words come out of her own mouth is harrowing.

_ 'I can't believe he doesn't love me anymore. I can't believe  _ this  _ is how it ends. After all we've been through together. I love him and-' _

_ '"IF YOU LOVE ME, RIKA, THEN LET ME GO!'" _

The quote from her dream, from Takato himself, rings clear in her mind. 

Takato can not help himself any more, he slides the playing mat and cards out of the way absentmindedly and moves towards her. As he speaks he reaches for her hands, "Rika, no, stop, you-"

Takato's warm hands grabbing hers ignites something deep within Rika. A need to protect herself from the pain.

"NO, TAKATO, YOU STOP."

Rika feels a fire growing in her soul. She feels her old lion's pride roaring. She wants her next words to incinerate him. To spit back the hurt that she feels right now. To drag him down as low as she feels.

But she can't do it. She feels pain and longing in her soul. And she already sees that pain and longing in his eyes. His beautiful almond eyes stare at her in a way that accepts the forthcoming words. He accepts that she will destroy him. He already feels the pain. Rika does not want that.

_ 'I love him. I still love him. Why do I still love him? He's leaving me. Right here, right now, it's over and I still love him.' _

Rika's mind flashes to the Digital World. To the Darkness Takato, who used to feed on his depression and defeats to grow strong. She does not want that for him, now or ever again. Rika will do whatever it takes to keep the light in him. Even if she has to die for it. She stands up suddenly and turns around so Takato can't see her crying. 

"Rika," he pleads.

She collects her jacket and throws it on. Without realizing it, she leaves her cards, playing mat, and bookbag behind. She hastily walks to the door and stops in front of it. She stares down at the door knob through bleary eyes.

"Takato, I am… I'm sorry. I wanted to be everything for you and I haven't been."

_ 'Him coming to visit after school. All the long talks. The hidden pond in the forest. The countless card matches. The fights. The friends. The memories. Push it all down.' _

"You deserve someone who can be enough for you."

"RIKA!"

_ SLAM! _

She slips out the door, slamming it shut behind her. She hurtles down the stairs and is out the side door, leaving Takato alone in his room.

He stares at the place that she was standing just a second ago. None of it had happened how he wanted. It was all wrong. It made him sick watching her leave in tears.

_ 'Isn't this what I wanted? Wasn't this the endgame?' _

He thought about the ghost materializing in front of him. The specter of her image, forever standing at his door, with her back to him, saying he deserved better.

_ 'Someone who could be enough? Isn't  _ she _ enough?' _

The redhead who walked out the door. His girlfriend for nearly the last year. The Ice Queen of his heart. His first Tamer friend. His Dream Girl. The one who rescued him from the pouring rain and from himself last Autumn. 

_ CRACK _

Takato snaps out of his trance and looks out his window. The rain pounded his home. Right now it was pounding Rika. The way it had pounded him. A year ago, Jeri said she thought of him as her best  _ just  _ friend. Then she left him alone, in the park, just before the storm hit.

Takato can not accept this ending. He will not conscript his girlfriend to the same fate. He grabs his rain jacket and hurtles down the steps. As he goes his mother screams, "TAKATO! Where do you think you're going?"

He reaches the landing at the bottom of the stairs and yells, "To get Rika back!"

* * *

Rika looks down at her hands and they shake violently. She slowly realizes that she is sitting down. She looks around and sees nothing but rain and shadows. Maybe twenty yards away she sees the water fountain, bubbling up with all the excess water. She has somehow found herself almost halfway through the woods already. She looks back at her hands, shaking out of control, and realizes she is soaking wet.

_ 'What happened? How did I get here? Did I drift off?' _

Rika remembers slamming Takato's bedroom door shut behind her and then everything became a blur. She ran to escape, but in her pain and isolation, she has truly become lost. A wind picks up behind her and brushes against the back of her neck. Rika sits up and knows what will come next. Even through the ceaseless rain she hears it.

_ Drop _

Rika doesn't mind. In fact, she almost welcomes it this time. Anything to distract her mind from the pain it was trying to block out. Anything to stop her from thinking about. She couldn't think about it. If she thought about it, that made it real. And accepting that it was real meant having to deal with pain it would bring her. Still, she couldn't help but think about it. Think about  _ him. _

Rika had once thought that their opposites brought them closer together. Perhaps they weren't like peanut butter and jelly. Perhaps they were oil and vinegar. Perhaps they weren't salt and pepper, but cats and dogs. Perhaps their differences didn't make each other better or stronger… perhaps it just made them different. It was science that opposites attract, but she wasn't sure there was anything keeping them together. Well, not anymore. Now, none of it matters.

' _ Push it down, Rika. Further than it's ever gone.' _

_ CRACK _

Suddenly, the rain stops. Rika looks down at her knee and sees fresh droplets still hitting them. But she is not wet anymore. She is warm. She looks up and finds she has been transported again. She sits on the park bench, at the edge of the beach. The wind howls and sand blows with it. Everything is dark and grey. Once again she looks to the distance and sees the shadowy figures.

Rika is drawn to it. She should resist, but she can't. She stands up and the bench disappears. She ventures out across the sand. There is nothing stopping her this time. These figures keep calling to her, the ocean keeps calling to her, and so she returns to it.

She crosses the beach and the shadowy figures come into focus again. She stops a few feet away and looks at them. A boy and a girl, ankle-deep in the water, facing out into the ocean. Rika looks at them and thinks about joining them in the water.

They do not move. They do not turn around. Everything around her is calm. The people, the waves, the wind. Rika looks down as the water crashes again and again at her feet. She is just about in the water. Right on the edge. Another step. She hears the girl ask, "Rika?"

The girl turns to her side and looks behind her. Her eyes are brown, not black or grey, and they gaze into Rika. The boy begins to turn as well. Instinctively, Rika steps forward, towards them, towards the water.

"Rika!"

All at once Rika is jerked backwards. Led by her hand, her upper body twists away from the ocean and the girl and she falls from the sky. She collapses onto a body and the rain returns. The beach is gone, the asphalt is back, and the cold is back. 

"Ugh…" comes a groan from underneath her.

Rika breathes heavily for a few moments. She does not hyperventilate like before, but instead attempts to catch her breath. She scrambles off of the body she is on top of and looks around. She stands in front of the water fountain. A human on the ground starts to get up. Turning around, in the dark of night, covered in rain, Rika looks into the almond eyes of Takato Matsuki.

"Rika what are you doing?"

Everything comes back to her in an instant. The memories, the pain, the blackout. Rika flashes back to his bedroom. She flashes back to running out and coming here. She feels her heart breaking all over again. What was calm a moment before is now lost. Rika retreats into herself and says nothing.

"Come on, let's get under some cover."

Takato grabs her by the hand again and leads her to a few large trees with space underneath them. Water still trickles down underneath but all together it is better. Safe at last, Takato looks at the redhead and asks, "Rika why were you about to jump in the water fountain?"

Rika's eyes dart back to the water fountain. She replies, "No, I…"

Takato is thoroughly confused. He asks, "I had to pull you down off the lip of it, Rika. What were you doing?"

"I was…," Rika tries to think of anything to say. Anything plausible at all.

_ 'How do I explain this away?' _

"Rika, what is going on with you?" He asks, true concern laced in his voice.

Rika is lost for words. She wants to lie and say it was nothing but just like Jeri, Takato saw it happening. What will he think of her? He just broke up with her. The hurt bubbles inside of her until it boils over. Her heart breaks. The pain fits her like an old t-shirt.

"Why don't you love me anymore?"

She couldn't hold it in anymore, it was just too much. The salty tears came and stung at her eyes; she flung her arms around his waist, burying her head into his chest.

_ 'It hurts… it hurts so much.' _

When? When would the pain end? When would she be loved? She listens to his heart beat in her ear.

_ Bump bump _

_ Bump bump _

Takato wraps his arms around her and squeezes her tight. She sobs into his chest and sniffles over and over again.

_ CR-CRACK _

The storm goes on, but the teens stay under the tree. Takato finally says, close to her ear so he doesn't have to yell over the rain, "Rika, I  _ do  _ still love you."

His voice sounds sincere. Takato never meant for any of it to happen. He still does love her. That is how he  _ feels _ , and seeing her in pain, jumping into water fountains in the middle of a monsoon, he just knew that he wanted to make her feel better. He wanted to take away her pain and hold her high.

For Rika though, this is another twist of the knife. She has felt them drifting apart but didn't think he would want to leave her. Then she accidentally discovered that he did, only for him to turn around now and say he still loves her. It was back and forth and this yo-yoing with her emotions had led her to her current state, sobbing into his rain jacket. She muffles out to him, "You haven't been acting like it."

Takato gently rubs her hair with his hand while holding her against him. The air stills. The rain relents. The lightning subdues. He shakes his head at this comment and replies, "Rika, you haven't been acting like yourself for a long time."

Rika pushes off of him. She still has tears but she looks at him incredulously. Everything she had done for him. Everything she had sacrificed. She replies, "I've been trying to be the best partner to you that I can possibly be."

There is a resolve in her eyes. Takato had not expected this reply, so he listens carefully. The rain slows to a steady drizzle. She looks out at the fountain then back at him, "After what happened in the Digital World, and with the Darkness. After… Kazu…"

Takato frowns, but even in the dark Rika can see the light in his eyes. "Rika, the best partner to me would be you just being  _ yourself.  _ Anymore I feel like… you've just been pretending to be something you're not."

Rika blinks and looks at Takato dumbfounded. Everything she had done to hold him up and save him from his pain. He never wanted any of it. He didn't want a savior. He wanted  _ her _ . Everything she had done for him. Everything she had sacrificed.

_ 'Was it all for nothing?' _

Her head hurts and she needs to sort her brain out, away from him. She needs space and time and the warmth of her bed. She says to him, "I think I want to go home."

Takato nods his head and replies, "Okay. But first, can we talk about what  _ that  _ was?" He raises a hand and gestures to the water fountain.

Rika looks out and thinks back to the ocean. Yes, she will have to tell him. ' _ But that's a battle for another day.'  _ She sniffles loudly, and says, "Tomorrow. I'll explain everything tomorrow."

He shoots her a concerned look. She adds, "I promise. I'll call you in the morning, or we can meet back here, or you can come over early before the dance."

"You still want to go?"

Rika looks at him and tries to smile. She remembers her conversation earlier with Jeri. A reply rises to mind.

_ 'He wants the old Rika, right?' _

"Don't be confused. I'm going so I can hang out with Jeri, not you."

In spite of everything, in spite of all the circumstances, Takato can't help but smile and chuckle at this. His mind returns to her on the lip of the fountain in the driving rain, about to fall in before he grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her off.

He says, "Okay. But remember, you promised to tell me what that was about."

They hug and Takato kisses Rika on the top of the head. They depart and head home in separate directions. As they walk along, many questions about the state of their relationship swarm their minds.

They are in some sort of limbo now, and neither knows how to repair the damage that is done. Rika must now tell him about her episodes. As she passes the large oak tree with no leaves on it she determines that she will call him first thing in the morning.

Both teenagers are well on their way home. In the wake of the rainstorm, the Shinjuku Central Park is silent and empty. The water fountain they had stood by a few minutes ago gurgles and spritz. It tries to gush water out but slowly it sputters to a stop. Nothing pours out and the water stands still. A fog rolls in around all of Shinjuku, bathing everything in darkness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: This chapter’s OST is “All Too Well” by Taylor Swift.
> 
> Love always. Rukato forever.
> 
> Notorious


	8. Break and Burn and End

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rika is woken from sleep. Seiko grows prideful. Takato talks about things he's forgotten. Some old friends appear.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Part of the journey is the end. Love and be loved. Read… and review!

**Break and Burn and End**

"RIKA! WAKE UP!"

The young girl is woken with a start. In the dark a figure stands over her, shaking her shoulders. Rika sits up, "Wha-what? What's happening?"

Rika rubs her eyes quickly as the figure moves away, towards her dresser. Rika looks around and finds her phone. She flips it open and the digital clock reads 5:46 AM. She hears a dresser slide open. _Woosh._ She looks back. Her eyes adjust to the limited lighting and she realizes her mother is going through her clothes.

"Mom? What are you doing? What's going on?" She asks.

"We have to get going, Rika. We don't have much time!" Rumiko replies, still filtering through Rika's clothes.

Rika gets up off of her bed on the ground. She is growing concerned. She stretches and asks, "Time for what? Is everything okay?"

_Woosh._ Rumiko closes the dresser and hands Rika some clothes. "Here, put these on."

"Where are we going? Where's GrandMa? Is she alright? Is everything okay?"

Rumiko makes for the door and replies, "GrandMa is already ready. Now hurry, we'll explain on the way."

With that she exits the room. The urgency and rush creates anxiety within Rika. She is drowsy, but her mind still finds ways to race ahead to potential calamities. Rika changes and heads out to the kitchen. She does not find her mother or grandmother. She hears the family vehicle idling outside. She goes out and they are sitting in the car, conversing. Rumiko notices Rika standing at the door and waves her hand, motioning for her to come out. Rika closes the front door behind her and locks it.

She gets into the car and enters the conversation.

"-never does this normally." Rumiko is saying.

"What is happening?" Rika interjects.

"Your mother has a surprise." GrandMa replies.

"A what?" Rika replies dumbfounded.

Rumiko grows excited. She puts the car in reverse and sits on the brake while exclaiming, "I've got a girls trip planned for all of us!"

" _This_ is what you woke me up for?" Rika asks as the car lurches backwards, effectively ending any hope of going back to bed.

"Oh, come now, Rika, it's going to be such fun!" Rumiko says as they roll out of the driveway.

"I actually agree with your mother, Rika." Grandma says calmly, knowing this will be unpopular with the teenager.

Rika groans and sits back as they drive through the early morning sunlight.

* * *

Rumiko Nonaka had come home running through the rain the day before and found her only daughter sitting with her girlfriend in the living room. When she sat down with them she learned that Rika had nothing to wear to her first high school dance.

So Rumiko texted some of her closest associates and had set up yet another opportunity for Rika to try her hand at various forms of fashions. This time, though, Rumiko had not hired a photographer. She had learned that this made Rika most uncomfortable, and she doesn't want her daughter to despise her today.

_'I want today to be a day that Rika will never forget!'_

Rumiko had listened to Rika say she didn't like dresses so she arranged for some other options, and after a couple of hours, it feels like they're so close, but also far away.

"I think she's going to like this one, Rumiko."

The daughter breaks out of her trance and looks at the older woman, smiling at her. "I hope so, Mom."

Everything Rika has tried on so far has either looked great or been comfortable, but not both at the same time. Everything the group likes is uncomfortable for Rika to wear. Everything Rika likes wearing just doesn't look good on her, even by Rika's admissions.

From around a corner, the young redhead tepidly looks around. Carefully she walks out and stands out in view of the entire group. She holds her hands at her side in fists, but she is not angry. She feels awkward, standing in front of the group, albeit small, dressed up for them to gawk at and judge.

"Oh, this is it!" One of Rumiko's girlfriends shouts.

Rumiko and Seiko turn attention to Rika and can't help but yelp their excitement as well. Rumiko says, "Oh Rika, you look gorgeous!"

Rika can't even look at any of them. She awkwardly stares at her feet, turns and looks away. Her cheeks turn crimson as they 'ooh' and 'ahh.' She isn't sure if she should smile or scowl or what, so her facial expression is a mixture of things.

"How does it feel, Rika? Do you feel comfortable?" GrandMa asks her.

"It feels…," Rika looks in a mirror. She wears a white kimono robe and a long, slightly pleated scarlet skirt. Around her waist is a large black, leather belt with a silver buckle. A tiny smile dawns on her face. "Incredible."

There is a smattering of applause as the group celebrates their victory. "Then this is the one!" One of Rumiko's favorite designer-friends says standing up and clapping. "You're going to be the only thing anyone talks about after tonight!"

Rika blushes deeper now and ushers a thank you, quietly praying that the applause and attention will end soon. She scowls around the room until she locks eyes with her mother. Rumiko stares with utmost pride at her daughter. Rumiko has an out of body experience, recognizing that this is one of the most positive moments in the history of their entire relationship. This wasn't forced, it wasn't drawn out, it wasn't Rumiko pushing her career on her daughter. It was an act of altruism and she had done it all by herself without her mother's help. Rumiko almost feels a tear coming on.

Rika can't help but smile at her mother from across the room. She silently mouths a 'thank you.' Rumiko exhales a large breath and shakes her head as the tears well up. She walks across the room and embraces her daughter in a bear hug. The group fawns over this and applauds again.

Seiko Hata smiles from the other side of the room and her heart sores. She thinks about what a beautiful moment this is for their little family. She has not had much to be proud of Rumiko for as a mother, but this morning will be remembered as an instant classic.

* * *

Rika Nonaka stands at the entrance to the back hallway of the dressing room. She has finally found the perfect match of 'looks nice' and 'feels good.' She is content and relieved that the morning is over. Her head pounds from limited sleep and being woken at the crack of dawn by her mother.

She walks down the poorly lit hallway and looks up at the single orange light. As she looks at it it flickers.

_CRACK_

Rika shutters. ' _What is happening?'_ She looks around. She has not been transported this time. She is still in the hallway. But she heard it, she heard the crack of the lightning. She looks around and is reminded of the night she had. The 'episode' in the park, and the shadowy figures, and everything with Takato.

She moves quickly through the hallway in her beautiful outfit and slips into the dressing room. She sits down before unchanging and tries to catch her breath. She looks at her phone on the seat next to her. She picks it up and types the first thing that comes to mind.

TO: Goggle Head

MESSAGE: Im sorry i havent called yet. Its a long story. Can u come over a little earlier today sowe can talk?

After hitting send Rika is left alone with her thoughts. She stands up and carefully removes her expensive new outfit. She reflects on the last two days. She had the most horrible nightmare, then a living nightmare at Takato's house. She blacked out and then woke up to another episode at the beach. Takato said she even almost jumped into the fountain. _'What does it all mean? What is happening to me?'_

From underneath the door frame, a fog starts to drift in. Rika does not realize it is there. Before she can change back into her street clothes she feels weak. She sits back down in her undergarments. There is a feeling of emptiness that she can not shake. She suddenly feels freezing cold. She wraps her arms around herself. ' _I need to get changed and get out of here.'_ She thinks, but she is too cold to stop holding herself.

The fog builds up around her ankles, quickly accumulating like snow in a blizzard. Rika feels a rush of wind against the back of her neck. ' _No! No!'_

_Drop_

Rika hears the water drip from behind her. She stays focused, eyes open, arms wrapped tightly around herself. _'No. This will not happen, I will not allow it.'_ Rika will not go to it this time. She will leave it alone.

The wind picks up behind her. Faster and faster until it is a howl. Her hair flies all around her face, impairing her vision. But she won't close her eyes. She strains, but keeps them open because she is terrified of closing them.

_Drop drop dropdropdrop_

The water drips and drips until it is so steady that it becomes rushing water.

' _Not here. Not now. No.'_

Slowly Rika closes her eyes and her surroundings fade. She is transported to the beach. She is still sitting in the dressing room seat, but she is also somewhere else now. She keeps her eyes closed but she hears the wind whipping. She feels the sand slapping her legs.

' _Don't go there, Rika. Be strong. Be. Strong!'_

She throws her eyes open and she is back. The beach is gone. The wind, the water, the fog, the sand are all gone.

' _Oh my gosh, I did it. I really did it.'_

Rika exhales a large breath and pushes her hair back out of her face. She pulls the scrunchy off of her wrist and wrangles it into a ponytail. She breathes another sigh of relief. She has won. She has won! She has beaten back the ocean. She had resisted it's call to her. She will need this strength.

She stands up and starts putting her street clothes back on. As she slips her pants on she notices the black and grey sand embedded in the hair on her legs. She tries to not think about that.

_Bzz Bzz_

Rika looks down at her phone and the reply message from Takato.

FROM: Goggle Head

MESSAGE: Sure. I was gonna get there at 530, but ill come at 430 now!

Rika stares at the message for a few seconds. She is changed now but doesn't exit the dressing room. Instead, she thinks about Takato. She thinks about their relationship, and how it maybe could end today. She thinks of all of herself that she gave to him. She feels longing for him.

She doesn't know why this hurts so much. She used to be strong. She used to be the Digimon Queen, and really lived up to that moniker. She used to be able to endure so much. Like resisting the ocean just now, she used to be strong of mind, strong of character. She didn't use to care what Takato or anyone thought of her. The walls around her heart that had once stood to protect her had been torn down by a brown haired boy with almond eyes and a soft smile. She was becoming more self conscious. Takato was right, she wasn't being herself any more. She and her friends had stared into the abyss and now she was a shadow of her former self. _'The girl that I used to be when this all started, she used to fear nothing. She was strong. She is gone.'_

_'But she used to be mine.'_

Rika exits the dressing room. She approaches her mom and Grandma. As the adults stand and idly chat with another, Rika hears none of it. She is consumed with the earlier memories of her life with Renamon, before Takato, before Henry, before any of them. She wishes she could go back to that, if just for a moment. Being with Renamon, just roaming around Shinjuku fighting any wild digimon who showed up. Something catches her eye and she looks out the glass doors of the boutique. For a split second she swears she saw-

_'No, that's impossible.'_

The fog, the wind, the dripping water. None of it is real. Her mind is playing tricks on her again. Because she was just thinking about it, that's why. She was just reminiscing on her old life, that was the reason she could have sworn she saw a golden fox outside. ' _The fog and the ocean weren't real, so neither was that.'_

Rika does not think anymore about it. She pushes it from her mind and explains it away. Just as she does not think about the sand that is trapped on her ankles and shins.

* * *

Henry Wong walks through the Shinjuku Central Park alone, swimming in memories. He has not been here in months. He should be thinking about the horror of his last visit, when they returned from the Digital World and had to bring home the news of Kazu and The Darkness. He should be thinking about all that was lost and how most of his friendships with the other Digidestined had evaporated. He should be thinking about the inevitability of time marching ever onward and leaving everything in its wake.

Instead, Henry smiles wide and thinks about Takato and Rika. He thinks about Renamon and Guilmon rolling around in a tussle the first time he came upon the two of them. Terriermon on his shoulder. Not totally dissimilar to Henry finding Rika and Takato in these same woods, wrestling in the snow, just before Takato brought them to see the gate to the Digital World. It felt like a lifetime ago, but it was only about two years. So much had changed.

_'But the more things change, the more they stay the same.'_

Tonight, for the first time in months, their entire team will be together again. Something about it felt truly cosmic to Henry.

Of course, there _is_ trouble in paradise. Takato and Rika have been through a rough patch and Takato was seeking advice a few weeks ago. Henry had urged his friend to talk to Rika, really _talk_ , and listen. Rika didn't talk to anyone the way she and Takato communicated. They understood each other in ways that were deeper than any of their friends. Henry can't help but feel like he is the only one who can relate to them, _because_ of their journey together with Terriermon, Guilmon, and Renamon. Henry had told Takato at their sleepover with Ryo that if the two of them sat down and talked, maybe they could get past their current issues.

Henry passes a water fountain that is dead. He looks on peculiarly along with a few other strangers, all distanced apart. An adult woman says loudly to her friend, "Maintenance said they can't figure out what's wrong with it, but they're working on some work-arounds."

Henry keeps moving, on his way home. He looks down at his watch and it is exactly 4:30 PM on the dot. He picks up his pace. He wants to get to Rika's place around 5:30 and he still needs to get home and change.

As he goes he swims laps in his memory bank. His first real memory in this woods with Rika and Takato is the one he keeps coming back to, and it brings a huge smile to his face. Fate was willing them all of the Digidestined together again.

_'Bringing me, Takato, and Rika back together. The original team.'_

* * *

"We'll be in my room if you need us," Rika says to the kitchen, but no one really listens.

Rumiko and Seiko are busily serving Takehiro and Yoshei some wine and a charcuterie board. All four adults have been looking forward to this dance, and it was not _all_ about their teens reaching a milestone in life. Time with adult friends was few and far between any more and their reunion was something they all looked forward to, perhaps more than the Digidestined themselves.

Takato walks ahead, dressed up for the dance. He pushes the door open ahead of him and Rika follows behind. She gingerly closes the door and looks back at him. Her goggle head stands in her room looking around, decidedly goggle-less. He is wearing a white dress shirt with a dark red tie, and light brown khakis. He carries in his hand a crimson jacket and a small book bag.

"You left this behind last night."

"Oh, I'm sorry about that. You want me to take this too?" She takes the bookbag and offers to take his jacket as well.

He extends both items to her. She takes both out of his hands and puts them on the cabinet with the mirror. She turns back to Takato and isn't sure what to say. They stand awkwardly and look at one another. Takato finally offers, "Um, yeah, you left your cards and playing mat too, so I put them in there. And I, um," he pauses and scowls slightly. "I also noticed you have your D-Arc in there too?"

Rika looks back at the bookbag for a second and remembers the device being in there. "Yeah, I guess I forgot about that."

The silence settles over them again. Neither one wants to start first. Neither wants to take charge of this difficult moment. Rika ventures into the waters first, "You look nice."

He grimaces and says, "Thanks. I-I'm excited to see this outfit you spent all morning picking out."

Again the quiet overtakes the room. They both look around, but not at each other. Rika is brimming with self-doubt. She wants to be strong again. She wants to resist the ocean. She wants to be the Digimon Queen. She wants to throw up the walls of ice around her heart and protect herself now.

Standing in front of him though, she melts away. Her ice walls melt. Her heart melts. Her courage, her strength, her persona melts. Nothing can withstand the fire in her soul for the boy in front of her.

' _Does he feel the same? Does he burn for me?'_

"I, uh, heard that-"

"Do you still love me?" Rika interrupts.

"Rika-

"Because I don't know what I'll do if you don't love me anymore."

Rika is broken. She knew what he said last night. She knew he sounded sincere underneath a tree in the middle of a rainstorm. But she was hysterical then and perhaps he just wanted to comfort her.

Rika could not help but feel like love was only made to break, and burn, and end. First, her Dad. Then Renamon. Now Takato. Rika is scared of ending up alone. Everyone who has ever loved her was either dead or gone. No one could love her.

_'No one who could stay, anyway.'_

"Of course I still love you, Rika. But you, me, we-we've been drifting apart. And I hate it."

"So you want to end it? You want to break away just because-"

"Rika, you haven't been yourself for a long time. What is happening with you? What happened last night? Were you going to jump in because we _almost_ broke up? Did I do something? Just help me understand."

Rika feels something catch in her throat and has a hard time swallowing. She isn't sure how to answer. She doesn't want to tell him about her episodes, but she doesn't want to lie either. She wants to hold him, she wants him to hold her. She wants to cry, but she wants to be strong. She has to tell him. She can't tell him. How could he possibly understand? The hairs on the back of her neck stand up. The wind tickles her.

_Drop_

Rika closes her eyes and tries to not cry. She doesn't want to be transported. She wants to resist. She wants to be strong. She needs to be strong. _'Don't go to that place, Rika.'_

"Rika."

She opens her eyes and it's just Takato. He stands a few feet away from, staring at her with sad eyes and a look of concern. "I see you. And I am here for you."

"No. Takato, I can't. I'm too scared. I'm scared to tell you."

_'What?'_

Takato looks at her shocked and anxious. He steps towards her and grabs her hand. He holds it up and her hand is ice cold. Could there really be an explanation? Did this have to do with the fountain? "Tell me what, Rika? Please, just talk to me."

_Drop drop dropdropdrop_

The wind blows and Rika's ponytail whips forward. Takato looks at this surprised while Rika looks down and closes her eyes. She feels it coming. She can almost hear the wind and feel the sand hitting her. But while she can _almost_ feel these things, she _knows_ she can feel Takato's warm hands in hers. Takato looks on as Rika's entire body seems to dematerialize in front of him. She appears static, but only for a second. Then she is whole again. If he wasn't looking directly at her when it happened he would have thought his eyes played tricks on him.

"It keeps happening and I don't want to worry you or my GrandMa or my Mom or anybody."

"Stop, just tell me. I am here for you, Rika."

_CRACK_

Rika looks around and she has been transported. She is standing on the beach, with Takato. Everything is black and grey except for him. He holds her hands but otherwise he doesn't even react. Rika looks out to the ocean and sees the boy and girl waiting for her.

"Do you see it?" She asks.

Takato follows Rika's eyes as she stares at the wall in her bedroom. He looks back at her and notices that her hair is blowing consistently, but he doesn't feel any breeze, least of all coming from that direction or that strongly.

"What do you see, Rika?"

The tears well up in her eyes. Slowly one rolls down her cheek. The figures face out into the ocean. The waves crash onto the shore. "I'm just so scared."

Takato squeezes her hands. With that simple gesture she is grounded back into reality. The figures in the distance disappear. The oceans and the beach fade away. The wind dies. Slowly her surroundings dissolve into her bedroom.

"Rika." She looks into his almond eyes. "I am right here with you. I will always be with you. I am going to stay with you."

It all stops. All around her is color again. _'"I see you… I am going to stay with you."'_ These words mean so much to Rika. She exhales deeply. She releases her hands from his, and nothing bad happens. She steps back and looks around.

Through all of this, Takato gives her space and let's her mind work through whatever is happening. Finally, she returns to looking at him. "Okay… okay."

She closes her eyes and walks over to her bed on the floor. She sits down and gestures for Takato to sit with her. They sit and face one another. She takes a deep breath and dives into the deep end of the pool. "These… things have been happening to me. I call them 'episodes.' I'm not sure why or what any of it means. Jeri thinks-"

"Wait, Jeri knows? You told Jeri about this but not me? Or your Mom or GrandMa?" He didn't want to interrupt her but it was jarring to hear and he had to have more context.

"Yeah. She, um, she caught me in the middle of one. One of my episodes. After we saw that movie," she looks away, embarrassed. "That was my last one before last night."

A sense of understanding begins to dawn on Takato. She continues, "She ran into me in the park on my way home and I was in the middle of it."

Rika pauses and thinks of what to say. Takato volunteers a question, "What happens during these 'episodes?'"

"Right…" Rika trails off. The moment of truth is at hand. She presses onward. "I'm not sure how or why, but I'm… I'm back on the beach."

"The beach?" Takato asks.

"The umm… the Dark Ocean beach. Where me, and Henry, and Ryo got taken."

Realization sets upon Takato and he draws in a hushed breath. "How long has this been going on?"

Rika shuts her eyes to concentrate and do some mental math for a second. "Um, well, the first was a while ago, at the end of July. Remember you and your parents came over for dinner?"

"Yeah."

"Right after you left it happened for the first time. And then the next was like the 2 or 3 weeks later, after the movie. And then nothing, until last night."

"What about just now?"

Rika locks eyes with him and a sense of defeat rises in her. "Now it's been happening all day today. Or at least, once this morning and again just, just now."

A moment of silence gives Rika a pause to collect her thoughts. She adds, "The first time I didn't think too much about it. I was scared and didn't know what to do. Then after the second, I at least had Jeri to talk to about it, and she had some really good advice. But then I went _so_ long without, I had kind of hoped it had gone away. Clearly that wasn't the case."

"So you're at the beach but then what happens?"

Rika rubs her head and shuts her eyes. The boy and the girl in the water come to mind. She does her best to explain that she keeps trying to get closer to them but every time she gets close they don't turn to look at her in time.

"So that's why you almost went into the fountain last night. Because you were almost in the water."

"I think so, yeah."

"Gosh. Rika, you have to promise me," he leans forward and clasps her hands in his. "Promise me you won't go towards this anymore. You keep getting closer and closer and we don't know what it means. We should reach out to Henry's Dad or maybe Yamaki."

After some convincing, Rika agrees to calling Henry. Takato pulls out his flip phone and calls. _Ring… Ring…_

"Takato?"

"Hey Henry."

"Hey, what's up? Is everything okay?"

"Yeah, yeah. Umm, when are you getting to Rika's?"

"I'm getting ready to leave soonish. My Mom and I were aiming to get there at 5:30."

"Your Mom? Not your Dad too?"

"No, he's working late tonight so it's just going to be my Mom."

"Oh, okay. Alright, well, just hurry over and we'll see you when you get here."

"Takato, is everything alright?" Henry asks sternly.

Dismissing the conversation, Takato replies, "Yeah, we'll talk about it when you get here."

They hang up the phone. After a brief discussion, Rika agrees to calling Yamaki. She doesn't see a better solution and it could provide real answers. _Ring…_

"Hello? Takato?"

"Hi there, Mr. Yamaki, uhh, how are you doing?"

"What's going on Takato, is everything alright?"

"Yeah, yeah. Um, it's just, well, I'm with Rika and there's something we need to talk to you about."

"Hold on." Yamaki holds his phone against his chest and has a conversation with someone away from the phone. After a few seconds he returns to the call. "Takato?"

"Yeah, still here."

"We have some news for you as well. Ours would be better discussed in-person."

"Oh." Takato says, caught completely off-guard. "Okay. Well, um, we're at Rika's house right now."

"Excellent. We're a little busy right now, but Riley and I can arrive there around 6:00, if that works?"

"Okay. Sure. Okay, we'll see you then."

"See you then."

Takato hangs up the phone. He turns back to Rika, who has been stewing on her emotions and thoughts while he's made these calls.

"Yamaki will be here around 6, and he said he has some news of his own."

This goes unacknowledged by Rika. She is still thinking and the gears turn in her head. She finally says, "Takato, something you said last night is still bothering me."

Takato doesn't need to be reminded that last night was a mess, to say the least. He had hurt her deeply. He now knew that something was going on with her, something wicked and troublesome, but he also knew that would not conclusively solve their relationship issues.

"Okay, I'm listening." He says, giving her his full attention.

Rika collects herself. She sits cross legged on her bed, while Takato sits in a chair and looks down at her. She wants this to come from the heart, but knows it may hurt. She summons her courage and begins, "Last night, you said that I've been pretending to be something I'm not. But that's true of you too."

Takato's head cocks back in rebuff. She doesn't stop looking at him. "You said that I've been acting different, but you're a completely different person. You haven't been the same since Kazu died. So maybe I am different now, after everything that's happened… but you've changed too."

"I know. I. I just. I…" Takato pauses. And looks away. His mind races. So many things he wants to say, he doesn't know where to start. And all of it hurts so much. He thinks about Kazu saving him from death. Turning to stone. Finding him in his dreams. Sobbing into his mother when they returned. The funeral. How it crushes him to remember it all.

Takato's eyes wander back to the redhead beneath him. There is a deep sadness in her eyes. It feels wrong to be above her. He slides off of the chair and moves close to her. He sits with his feet flat against the ground and his knees up. He hugs his knees and leans in. He looks back at his dream girl. The words spill out of him. "It's just so hard to talk about. It's so hard," his eyes grow hot. "To live, knowing he's gone. That I didn't do anything."

He cries softly and buries his face into his knee cap. Rika moves closer to him and wraps an arm around his back. She puts the other hand on his. She leans her head into his arched back and listens to him crying. "That's exactly why you need to talk to me about it. _We_ need to talk to each other about it. I don't know who you are or who I am anymore."

The words pain her to say, but she's been holding them in for so long. She is past the point of no return. "But I've been trying to be this perfect person for you for so long. I've been trying to be _your_ savior, because you saved all of us. I've been trying to be good for you, so you could find the good in yourself. So you could remember." He cries harder and she feels her own tears welling up. She rubs her arm all around his back. "Remember the lightness deep within you, the lightness that saved us."

He sniffles and pulls his head away from his knees and looks at her. She moves her arm from his back, to the back of his head, and runs her fingers through his hair. His eyes are red and watery. "It has to mean something, Takato. It can't be for nothing. Kazu can't have died for nothing."

He sniffles again and rubs his eyes with the sleeve of his dress shirt, "You're right. You're absolutely right, Rika. We all have to move on and _live on,_ for Kazu."

He pauses and looks lovingly into Rika's eyes. He repositions his hand on his knees to hold hers. "And you're right about me."

Rika's eyes search his for deeper meaning. They rapidly sweep all around. He goes on, his voice cracking, "Through all of this, the last few months, I keep thinking about how I feel like I've lost or forgotten so much. I forget what I used to be like, what I used to feel. I've lost a part of myself that I can't seem to get back."

Rika's eyes keep darting all about but it does not stop the tears from pouring out and it takes everything in her to suppress a sob. Hearing this from Takato hurt her deeply. It was one thing to _think_ it may be the case and to project those fears onto him and others. The pain it causes her now to hear it from him, confirming those worst fears, is unimaginable. The cord struck her very core. It is everything she has feared and all of the pain was welling up inside of her, threatening to burst like a dam. She had not brought this up to hurt him or make him feel worse. It was to finally talk about it. To finally share the burden.

Then Takato continues, "I've forgotten who I was, who I am, what I like, what happiness is like."

He takes a deep breath and wears a broken smile while staring into her radiant, lilac eyes. "But I haven't forgotten you. I remember you. And when I'm with you, I remember who I am. I remember everything."

Rika launches herself upwards, standing on her knees, towering over him, and holds Takato against her. He cries into her chest. She sobs softly above him, looking down, one hand wrapped behind his head, the other clasping his back. In his ear, he hears her heart beating.

_Bump bump_

_Bump bump_

They cry together for a moment. The pain has been building for months. They cry for as long as they need.

* * *

"-the city ordinance states that no one should be out after 9:00 PM tonight. The fog blanketing the city has made it too difficult for late night driving and caused many car accidents in the last few weeks. What's more, there is a great concern for the pedestrians trying to progress through it and getting lost. It is expected that all members of the Shinjuku community-"

The local news continues to drone on as a family approaches the front door of the Nonaka residence.

_Knock knock knock_

"Mayumi! Welcome! Oh you're early, this is wonderful!"

"Hello everyone! It's been so long."

"Where's Janyu?"

"Um, where are Rika and Takato?"

"He has to go in for a project-on a Saturday night no less. That job will kill him, I swear."

"They're just down the hall, in Rika's room. Yes, down that way. Go on."

"Thank you!"

"How have you been, tell us-"

The voices recede as Henry gets further from the main entryway. As he approaches the bedroom it slowly slides open and out steps Takato. He waves to Henry as he exits, and then carefully closes the door behind him, holding up his crimson jacket. Henry himself sports a hunter green jacket and matching tie. He turns back to Henry and greets him, "Hey, you made it!"

_Click_

Rika locks the door behind him. Henry is excited until he gets close. He notices that Takato's eyes are slightly bloodshot and his cheeks look worn. His mind jumps to conclusions. "Is everything okay? Are you-"

"Yes! Yeah, I'm-oh man. You, uh, you're gonna laugh."

The boys stand out in the hallway. Henry looks at the door and gives Takato a questioning look. Takato reads it properly and responds, "Oh, she's just getting changed. So we should stay out here for a few seconds."

Takato takes a step away from the door and leads Henry back up the hallway. "Takato, what is going on? Were you-"

"You were right, Henry! You were so, incredibly right."

Henry stops in his tracks and is stunned by this bit of news. He looks sideways at Takato and it slowly dawns on him what this may mean. "You mean?"

"We're good. We talked. Like you said we should."

A large smile forms on Henry's face. Seeing Takato in pain had been hard. Mending the bridge with Rika could be such a huge moment for them. He felt great pride in his friends. "You're good?"

_Click_

_Woosh_

A door opens back towards the way Henry had originally been walking. Both boys turn and face it. The figure of Rika Nonaka stands in the doorway, dressed in the outfit she had chosen with her Mom and GrandMa that morning. Behind her, the sun sets and casts an orange golden hue across her room. She is a vision of beauty, bathing in the setting sun.

"Really good." Takato answers, a huge smile spreading across his face.

* * *

"You know, I, for one, would have been fine if they broke up." A cocky, tall-haired boy says while taking down a handful of peanuts. Suddenly, the entire room of teenagers are paying very close attention to him.

He smiles wily and says, "I've never lost to a _single_ Rika, only to one who's dating her soulmate."

Somehow his wisecrack lands and the room erupts into laughter. It's a good mixture of crassness and kindness. Henry replies, "Face it, Ryo, she's the best."

"She'll have to beat me to be that."

Jeri jumps in, "She has!"

"Well, she's never beat me twice."

Again the room laughs at the nonsense and good-natured fun. They sit around Rika's bedroom in chairs, on the floor, and in makeshift seats. The sliding door to the back garden is open to allow for a breeze into the room, cooling all of them off in their stuffy outfits with a late September breeze. They eat the snacks provided by Rika's family and drink soda and water. The first time they have all been together since Kazu's funeral, and the circumstances couldn't be more different. They laugh, joke, and reminisce on their lives together. They catch up, much of the focus being on Rika at her private, all-girls school.

The room is abuzz about Rika as a whole. As they have all arrived after Henry, everyone compliments and praises her magnificent outfit. After last night's revelation, Rika is especially welcoming to Kenta, perhaps a little over the top. The news spreads quickly that they have doused the fire of their relationship. When Jeri learned she just smiled knowingly and nodded at Rika. 'Pride' was not the word she was looking for. Jeri felt so much more than that, for how Rika had worked through their issues together.

It is just about 6:15, almost time for pictures together when a car pulls up outside. Rika looks questioningly at Takato when they hear a visitor arrive at her front door.

Rika holds a hand up to quiet everyone and the group eavesdrops on the conversation out in the hallway.

"-we were invited."

A voice rises in response. "It would be best if you just left."

Takato is up and out the door quickly. "We just-"

"Yamaki! Hi! Hey! Hey Mom, Dad, everyone, I asked them to come by. Please, please just let them come say hello."

There is a silence that follows. The teenagers peer out the door and try to listen in. After a few seconds a woman's voice says, "We'll only be a few minutes, we swear. We don't mean any harm."

A few seconds later Takato comes striding back in and with him are Yamaki and Riley. Takato stands awkwardly at the door and the adults survey the room, also standing at the door.

"Hello everyone, it's been a while." Riley says, trying to break the tension.

"Hello." Kenta says but no one else adds.

"Is everything alright?" Jeri asks.

Yamaki and Riley look at each other for a second. At the same time, Takato and Rika look at one another. Takato was glad they were here, but felt bad that this would now burden everyone. He offers, "Maybe it would be better if we talked alone?"

"That may be best." Yamaki concurs.

Rika looks around the room at the worried looks. _'Keeping it a secret won't put anyone at ease._ ' She interjects, "It's okay. I, um, we can talk about it in front of them."

"Uh-" Yamaki trails off. Riley also looks uncomfortable.

Takato looks at Rika. "Are you sure?"

All eyes are on Rika again. She rises from the ground and speaks to the whole room. "Yeah. They're here because of me. Takato and I asked them to come because of me."

There is understandable confusion. Some murmuring begins, but Jeri has a sneaking suspicion she knows what it is about. She asks, "Is this because of what happened in the park, Rika?"

Everyone except for Takato is caught off guard by this and turn to the brunette. Rika looks across the room at her friend. The one who has understood and been "right here" beside her. Who has given her sage advice and imparted important wisdom. Rika nods her head. "Yes, it is."

"What happened in the park?"

"What is she talking about?"

"What is going on?"

Jeri asks, "Did it happen again?"

Rika replies, "Worse. And then it happened throughout today, too."

Riley speaks above the group. "Rika, can you please explain what this is about?"

Rika takes a deep breath. Her memory rewinds to the first night on her back porch. She looks at the sliding door, open right now, and remembers the night clearly. She launches into an explanation of what has been happening to her.

She does her best to recount everything again, answering the same questions that Takato and Jeri had asked when they learned as well. Henry and Ryo remain silent through all of it, quietly trying to imagine the horror she must have been experiencing in her episodes. Yamaki and Riley ask some things specifically about timing. When she's done the adults talk amongst themselves for a second.

"This aligns with the spikes and the more recent attacks."

"Yes."

"We saw them last night and she had an episode last night. The other was about 2 weeks ago. That covers both incidents."

"But-" Rika tries to interject.

"Both things must be connected."

"That would answer so many of our questions."

"The fog and the shadows."

Jeri jumps up, "You saw the fog too?"

The adults turn their attention to Jeri and tilt their heads. "Did you see it?"

"It was a while ago, but I've seen it in the park."

"When was a while ago?"

They continue to work with Jeri to try to understand the fog better. Rika isn't sure she agrees with Yamaki and Riley. Rika hasn't seen any fog on the beach. She's seen that fog at other times, but not on the beach.

_'And they said there were two incidents, but I've been to the beach 3 times and twice today too.'_

There is a lull in the conversation and Takato speaks up. "Uh, Yamaki, you said before that you had something you wanted to talk to us about. Was that it?"

Yamaki smiles briefly and looks at Riley. He keeps looking at her as he says, "No, that's not exactly it."

Yamaki turns his attention to the chosen children. He tells them, "I'm sorry about this, and I know it's going to create a lot of questions. We'll do our best to answer them."

"Now," he looks around the room. He closes his eyes and lowers his head. "Come on."

_Swoosh_

Appearing out of nowhere, teleporting right into the middle of the room, is a bipedal, golden fox with white fur. She stands stock still at the center of everything. Some of the children jump back but Rika Nonaka jumps straight up. The commotion is instant.

"How?" Takato says above everyone.

Rika felt numb. Her eyes were seeing, but she couldn't believe it. She doesn't move and just stands a few feet from her partner. Finally, in her own cool voice, the fox says, "It's good to see you too, Rika."

"Renamon!" Rika launches herself forward and embraces her in a tight hug.

"How is this possible?" Henry demands.

"Are there others here? Is MarineAngemon here?" Kenta asks.

"Why is she here?" Ryo adds.

"How long have you known?" Takato questions.

Jeri says nothing, sitting in the corner of the room, smiling at the two partners reconnected at long last.

Renamon whispers in Rika's ear, "I'm sorry I couldn't be with you sooner. I've been watching and wanted to, so many times but-"

She whispered back, "You don't have to explain yourself, Renamon. I'm just glad you're here now."

After a few more seconds of questions being hurled around the room, Renamon finally explains. "I was instructed to sneak aboard the ark that you all took home from the Digital World. The Sovereign commanded in it. We felt something was wrong and didn't want to leave you all unprotected. And we were right."

"You were? What's happening?" Kenta asks.

Yamaki explains that there have been two emergences in the last few weeks, concluding it saying, "and two nights ago they targeted Rika."

"They what?" Rika is shocked.

_'How could I have been targeted and not known it?'_

"We don't know why they're going after the Tamers yet, but we-"

"We're Digidestined." Ryo interjects.

Yamaki rolls on. "But they also know about me and what I'm doing."

"So wait," Henry starts. "Renamon has been here for months and you all, just, didn't say anything?"

Rika's mind flashes to Thursday night. What had she done? What had happened? When was she targeted? The conversation gets away from her as her mind races away. Yamaki tells them that their parents can't know what's happening. He explains that they're working on how to prepare for future attacks and emergences. Riley explains that Shibumi and Tally have meetings to be briefed and return to work on Monday. She mentions that, "Janyu isn't here tonight because he's working at Hypnos, monitoring for any potential emergences."

Henry is shocked to hear this news. His father had not been honest with his family. Or at least not with Henry. Did his mother know?

_'What else has he been hiding?'_

While the Digidestined peppered Yamaki, Riley, and Renamon with questions, Rika retraces her day. She remembers waking up suddenly from a nightmare. She woke up early with night sweats after a series of horrifying dreams. And when she woke, she found her sliding door was open a crack. She grabbed the screwdriver and checked outside and no one was there, but the door didn't open itself. Her eyes wander off to that same door. Tonight it is wide open, so the breeze can cool the room. She peers out into the dusk and sees a pair of eyes watching her from the garden.

"Oh my Gosh." She tries to say over everyone else.

Only Ryo hears and his eyes are drawn out to the garden. He sees the same thing as her. "Uhh, guys… GUYS! Look!"

All chatter stops, all eyes look in the same direction. There is silence for just a moment. Outside, barely visible in the quickly fading light, they all saw it. It's almost dark out, but the sight is unmistakable. Out by the gate stood a bipedal, red dinosaur, with giant, yellow eyes.

"Guilmon?" Takato moves towards the door instinctually. His eyes can't believe it's really him. Takato stands at the sliding door entrance. "Is it really you, boy?"

He dawns a giant smile and calls back in his classic voice, "Takato! I'm here! It's me!"

"Guilmon!" Takato leaves the bedroom and the others move towards the door. Rika stands still and watches it happen.

"PARALYZE BREATH!"

From out of view a blast of black flies at Guilmon. He narrowly avoids it before another comes flying at him.

"PARALYZE BREATH!"

Gazimon lands on top of the fence outside Rika's bedroom and then somersaults down to try to attack. Guilmon runs out the back gate and keeps going. Gazimon bounces back up to the top of the fence and then down on the other side to give chase.

"Guilmon!" Takato runs right through the backyard and out the back gate. The Digidestined all turn to Yamaki and Riley. They look at one another a second before Riley yells, "Go!"

In the distance they hear, "PARALYZE BREATH!"

In response the group hears Takato yell, "Come back, boy!"

Everyone runs out the back door except for Riley, Yamaki, and Renamon. Rika is nearly out the door when she remembers something. She stops and turns around. Sitting on her table with the mirror is her bookbag. She looks at Renamon and knows she may need it. She doubles back and grabs it. Inside is everything she'll need in case Renamon runs into trouble.

She runs out the back door and races to catch up with the others, leaving the three standing on her porch.

A couple of blocks up ahead the teenagers wind around a foggy city, desperate to keep up with the partner they know and love as he tries to escape a surprise attack. But Henry Wong can't shake a thought. Even as they twist and turn down side streets and alleys, it keeps creeping into his mind. He'd heard it hundreds of times so he can't push it away.

' _Why didn't he call him Takatomon?'_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: This chapter's OST is "She Used To Be Mine" by Sara Bareilles.
> 
> Love always. Rukato forever.
> 
> Notorious


	9. Mercy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Renamon catches up. Takato lies down. An old friend shows up. The shadows reveal what they hide.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Part of the journey is the end. Love and be loved. Read… and review!

**Mercy**

Yamaki turns to Renamon, anxious but still on Rika's back porch, "How is this possible?"

Renamon is just as stunned as they are. "He's… I don't know. He hasn't shown himself before this. He would have shown himself."

Riley says, "We don't have the PDAs so maybe he showed up in the last couple of hours since we all left Hypnos?"

Yamaki replies quickly, "Why wouldn't Janyu have called us?"

Riley is scatterbrained and replies, "I-I-I don't know! Maybe he came weeks ago when we had a spike? Maybe it's like Janyu hypothesized and he came some other way? A digital field summoned him here?"

Yamaki turns to Renamon, "Is that possible? Is it possible he could have come over and we didn't detect it?"

Renamon isn't sure what to say. She knows one thing though. "There are no other digimon like Guilmon. It must be him."

"You go, I'll stall the parents." Riley says to Yamaki.

Yamaki nods, leans in, and kisses his wife on the cheek. He takes off running out the back door. Renamon teleports ahead.

_Swoosh_

Riley stands on the porch and stares out in the quickly fading light. Something about all of this felt wicked. Her hand absentmindedly caresses her lower abdomen.

_'Please be safe, Mitsuo.'_

* * *

As they run through the streets of Shinjuku in their fancy outfits, in a bizarre twist, Rika Nonaka is only thinking about a pair of lilac eyes. Not her own, but the ones attached to a young, destitute girl with golden blonde hair. Dany, the card player she beat in the City Championship about a month and a half ago. The worthy adversary she had ultimately bested. Rika had won for a reason, and what she had said then was true especially today.

_'"A digimon is no slave."'_

Rika knows that Guilmon is in trouble, but she can't help but feel like everything will work out fine.

_'We're Digidestined! Of course it will be fine!'_

It felt ethereal to Rika. Guilmon and Renamon being here, it was proof. Living breathing proof that they were Digidestined, and that they were destined for something greater.

A few hours ago her relationship with Takato seemed to be ending. Now, after their heart-to-heart, it was back on track. And a few hours ago she thought she'd never see another digimon in her life again. Then, in a matter of minutes she found out that not just Renamon, her best friend and partner, but also Guilmon were both here, in the real world! Indeed, her speech to Dany couldn't be more true than right now.

_'A digimon is no slave. They are our partners, alive and real and here!'_

Rika whoops and hollers. She surges forward with renewed vigor.

* * *

High above the tennagers in the streets, Renamon dashes forward across rooftops, desperately trying to catch up. Her vision is constricted to the deep navy and progressively darker twilight. She slips through a thick fog on the rooftops and is relying on the sound of the Digidestined running to guide her.

"PYRO SPHERE!"

Up ahead of Renamon rocks explode upwards off of a roof. She swiftly dodges it and leaps from building to building.

"PARALYZE BREATH!"

"PYRO SPHERE!"

Renamon is catching up and notices the blasts both miss badly. Part of her wonders how they've gone this long without someone landing a blow. What's more, Guilmon is an adept fighter, and Renamon dispatched this same foe easily just a couple of weeks ago.

_'If he knows Takato is near, why isn't he trying to run back towards him?'_

The base jumping comes to an abrupt halt, as Renamon runs out of real estate. The tall buildings end and Renamon launches herself to the ground. She lands in front of an open gate to a large complex. This place is familiar to her. She watches as Gazimon chases Guilmon further into the complex, disappearing into the fog.

"PARALYZE BREATH!"

"PYRO SPHERE!"

She listens for a moment but doesn't hear anything.

 _'How are they_ both _missing? From so close together no less.'_

Renamon looks up and reads the sign. She has been here before. Rika has brought her here at least twice that she could remember. The attacks stop but she now hears a tussle and growling. She moves swiftly into the fog.

* * *

Takato comes around a corner and sees Renamon standing still in front of an open gate. She is staring in front of her for a second. Her ears prick at a sound and she dashes forward, through the gate and into the fog. Henry is right behind Takato, and comes to a stop beside him, breathing heavily. The others are not far behind.

"Takato… don't you… think… this is… weird?" Henry says through difficult breaths.

Takato looks up and recognizes the building instantly. _'How did we get here?'_

He turns to his friend, "C'mon, Henry, they're just up ahead."

He dashes forward. Henry is hunched over, hands on knees, sucking air. _'This outfit is not fit to be running in.'_ He too recognizes their place. He shakes his head then goes to follow Takato.

Just behind him Jeri and Ryo follow, slow but not stopping. Jeri knows where she is and takes solace in it. Kenta is next, barely able to breath and exhausted. He runs through the gate and groans about having to return to this place. Rika is last, energy strong, breathing well, but not able to make up the considerable distance between all of them. Rika doesn't remember this place very well, save for a trip or two. She had come here with Takato and the others when the D Reaper arrived, looking for shelter. She is the last to pass the gate and disappear into the fog.

As she runs past the gate she passes a sign that reads, "Yodobashi Elementary School."

* * *

Renamon enters an opening in the fog at the center of the schoolyard. Guilmon and Gazimon stand diametrically opposed, gritting their teeth and growling at one another. Renamon walks up behind Guilmon and stands a few feet back.

"I'm here, Guilmon. Let's finish this now."

"No thanks, Renamon. I can handle this all on my own." He replies.

Renamon smirks at this. "You sure struggled to do that all the way here."

"Well," he says and turns sideways to see Takato entering the opening. "We wanted to make sure everyone was here for the show."

"The show?" She asks.

Henry is right behind him. Guilmon slowly turns away from Gazimon and faces Renamon. _'What is happening? What is he doing?'_

"Guilmon! I'm here boy! Don't turn your back on him!"

Guilmon stares Takato down. Renamon suddenly feels on edge. Her fur stands up. Her senses peak. She moves to stand between Takato and Guilmon.

"Boy?"

Renamon braces for a fight. Jeri and Ryo emerge and stand beside their friends. She bends her knees and prepares to take flight when someone speaks to her.

"Now now, Renamon, it really wouldn't be fair for us to all start fighting when your partner isn't here yet."

The voice comes from Renamon's left, but she can't see who said it. Kenta appears from out of the fog and stops beside his friends.

"Guilmon, what are you doing?" Takato calls out.

Out of the fog a pair of purple eyes show. Quickly coming out from hiding is Tapirmon. Renamon does not like these odds. She can fight with anyone, but Guilmon has raw strength, and three-on-one was considerably harder than two-on-one.

' _Did I walk right into a trap?'_

"Ah, there she is now." Tapirmon says.

Renamon turns her head enough to look behind her. Through the dense fog the redheaded teenager appears. She now sports her book bag around her shoulders. She comes to a stop near Takato. All of the teens except for Takato take quick, successive breaths trying to recover from their chase through the streets of Shinjuku.

"What's… happening?... Renamon?... Guilmon? What's going on?" Rika asks between gulfs of air.

"You're not Guilmon, are you?" Takato asks, calm now. He stands tall while his friends are all hunched over.

Guilmon leers at him. "I'm whoever you want me to be, Takato."

Another figure appears suddenly from the fog. Standing tall over all the children, Yamaki comes to a stop behind them.

"Mitsuo! How wonderful of you to join us. Now the whole gang's here!" Tapirmon shouts joyously.

They all stand in a semicircle, behind Renamon. Rika stands on the far left, Henry next to her, Takato next, slightly further ahead. Kenta and Ryo stand next to one another, and Jeri is on the end. Yamaki is behind Jeri, a little to her right. He cautiously looks on, concern growing with every second.

Renamon barks at them, "What are you? Where's the real Guilmon?"

A solemn disappointment falls over Takato. ' _It's not him. He's not here.'_ They had run head-first into a trap, with him leading the pack. How strange it is for Takato. It has been months since he interacted with digimon, and yet it felt like riding a bike.

"Whatever this is, let's get it over with," Takato says, resigned to the fight. "There isn't anything you can throw at us that we haven't already defeated."

"We know all about you, Takato Matsuki. We know you've been to the Mountaintop."

Something about the way he said 'mountaintop' bothered Takato. It stuck with him, nagged at him. There had been no witnesses left standing when he stood at the mountaintop in the Digital World.

_'How would they…'_

"You will not touch a hair on these children." Renamon threatens.

Henry shouts, "Then you should know that we've faced worse odds against stronger enemies. We _have_ been to the mountaintop."

Rika drops the book bag to the ground. She pulls her D-Arc and cards out. She stands, ready to assist Renamon once again.

Takato says loudly, "So, we'll fight, but only because we have to. To protect ourselves, and each other, and our world."

"So you've finally started to learn, Tamers," a voice calls out to them from the fog. "What happens when you chase the dragon."

Tapirmon is beside himself. Gazimon, visibly nervous before, now stands tall. Guilmon is unphased. He is stoic, standing up straight. Tapirmon's head bobs between Takato and the fog over and over again.

"A memory of better times turns to greed," the voice says. Ryo looks around in concern. He moves closer to Kenta. "And victory becomes riding a wave to the next fix..."

Rika's eyes race around as the voice seems to come from all around them, like it was on an intercom in school. It booms overhead. "... As the games you once loved become mere ghosts of what they were."

Rika peeks down at the deck of cards in her hand. Yamaki moves closer to Jeri, looking to defend the girl. Jeri keeps her eyes forward, a firm resolve about her.

The voice grows closer, "They say a man with no enemy becomes his own."

Takato's ears prick at this last line. ' _It is not possible. How could it be possible?'_

Henry's courage leaves him. Ryo flashes back to the cave. Rika's anxiety skyrockets. She waits for the wind at her neck and the water drip sound behind her. She waits for it and waits for it. So many times before, yet it doesn't come now.

A figure begins to form in the fog. It moves towards the group. "So, will you try to quit," it gets closer to them, approaching from near Tapirmon, Gazimon, and Guilmon. It's small compared to them, and getting smaller. "No matter the price?"

It steps out from the fog and into the clearing, it's features coming into view, "Or will you learn to live with your monsters?"

_'It can't be.'_

_'How?'_

_'Takato watched him die. Right?'_

_'How could he be back?'_

Standing a few feet away from the Digidestined was another teenager that they all know. Brown hair no different than it was before, dark blue eyes, slightly taller than all of them. A dead man. Takato takes a step towards him and asks what they are all too stunned to speak.

"Kazu?"

* * *

Nothing penetrates the fog around them. No sound, no light. Nothing comes through from the outside world. Not even the light of the moon breaks through. Anyone passing the elementary school would simply remark at how dense and deep the fog has become. Almost as if it has a mind of its own, the circle of this clearing grows tighter. It gets closer to the teens. Like the mist of a digital field before, it obscures everything from the outside.

Inside the clearing, wild bewilderment runs rampant. Not another word is said as they are all dumbfounded by the sight before them. Yamaki is on edge, but even he is astonished.

' _He turned to stone. Did he come back? Was there a way to fix it? Did the Sovereign figure it out?'_

His voice is the same as always. "Hello, Takato. Hello, all. It's been a while."

"Is it you? Is it really you, Kazu?" Rika asks, a sense of desperation in her voice.

He looks the same. His outfit is the same as it used to be. He is slightly tanned with his hair spiked. He wears his classic dark blue t-shirt with the yellow cross on it. Yellow-cream shorts, reddish brown wristbands, olive green socks, and blue and grey shoes. He even dons his classic tennis visor.

A deranged voice speaks from near Takato, "You were dead. They killed you and," Kenta sniffles. "You were a statue and oh my gosh, Kazu, how are you alive?"

"Kazu," Ryo starts, cautiously. "Is it really you?"

Takato shudders, his breathing hard. He tried to gasp a large breath to hold himself. He can't help the tears welling up and sliding down his cheeks. "Kazu, I am.. so sorry. I-"

He stops and sobs, his vision completely blurring. While the children are emotional, Yamaki is tense and moves closer to Jeri. He stands guarded, confused and alarmed.

Renamon is tense as well, her eyes moving from Guilmon to Gazimon to Tapirmon to Kazu, in a constant loop. She takes a few steps out of the way, getting closer to the rival digimon, giving Kazu and Takato a direct line to each other.

"Kazu, I'm so sorry I let you d-down." Takato cries freely now. He is hunched over, holding his stomach in pain. "I wish I could have, I wish…"

Only one thing feels right. Takato moves towards his friend. His feet move him forward and he reaches his arms out wide, but meekly. He wants to crash into him. _'I can't believe he's really alive.'_ Takato closes the gap between them, leaving everyone behind.

As he gets closer Kazu does not move to greet him. He watches the crying boy get closer. He slowly raises his arm up to Takato and holds up a stop sign with his hand.

"I am not Kazu." He says so matter of factly.

Takato sniffles at this and turns his head at an angle, trying to comprehend. Henry wipes away loose tears. The silence of the moment weighs heavily on all of them.

"Then what are you?" Yamaki asks as he draws closer and closer to Jeri.

"I'm the Digidestined's reckoning." He says, turning to address Yamaki. "Here to end the borrowed time you've all been living on."

"No." Takato says quietly, taking a step back. He shakes his head in disbelief and moves further back.

Rika doesn't know what to do or say. She feels a void develop in her stomach. It's making everything disappear. Her breath, her stomach, her courage. _'What's happening?'_

For the first time, Jeri speaks. She is loud and bold. Unlike the others, she has not lost her courage in this moment. "Are you… The Darkness?"

Slowly Kazu turns to her now. He takes a step towards her, and then another. Yamaki moves swiftly to stand in front of her fully. "Jeri, stay back!" He shouts, now blocking Kazu's path.

Kazu stops and considers Yamaki standing to protect the girl. He does not smile. He does not frown. He speaks in a monotone voice and answers, "No, Jeri Katou. I am not..." He speaks with Kazu's voice. _'How does he speak with Kazu's voice?'_

His inflection doesn't change, but there's something sinister about his voice now. "I am more than that."

This rests upon the children. They wear his every word like a crown of thorns. Henry wipes his leaking nose, "What do you mean?

He pauses and looks at Henry. A mirthless smile spreads across his face. He turns away from the children and walks the two steps back to his original starting point. He quickly spins around and faces them all.

"You may call me… The Shadow."

* * *

None of the Tamers says anything. Yamaki wants to reach for his phone to text Riley and Janyu, but he doesn't want to draw any attention to himself and doesn't want to take his eyes off the henchmen digimon.

Renamon mentally tries to process this information. _'The Shadow? Some sort of offspring from The Darkness? How long has it been since I left? What could he have accomplished in all that time?'_ Her mind races on.

The Shadow goes on, "Perhaps an introduction is in order then?"

Kazu raises his chin up so that he can peer down at the other teens. Rika looks at the back of Takato's head. She wants to move to him, but she feels paralyzed. Kazu begins, "As the D Reaper I had no form. So I built my own."

"Piece by piece I learned about your world… through Jeri's sadness," He nods in her direction. She shakes her head in anger. Her resolve is starting to crack, and it is unnerving for her to hear him so casually reference her capture and torture. "And I reveled in it."

He smiles a toothy grin at her and slants his head to look at her mischievously. "I needed more of it." He licks his lips. "When I was dragged back to the digital world, I sought out any sadness I could find. It brought me to a new world, a different dimension entirely."

Rika thinks about the ocean. The crack of the thunder and the lightning. The cold wind and the drop of the water behind her. The people in the water. The cave and the trap The Darkness has sprung on them. Ryo and Henry similarly flashback to their waking nightmare.

"But I became too obsessed. I took the power and didn't consider the consequences." He shakes his head at himself while staring out into space. "And all power comes with a price."

"You see, when I became The Darkness, I took on the form of Takato. And as a result, I had chosen my path of demise." He now looks directly at Takato. No one can see Takato's face to know how he responds. "While I grew with his sadness, he experienced a period of great joy. So our combined powers weren't enough to drive out the light."

Takato looks down at the ground. He flashes back to all of his fights against The Darkness. Having to "kill" his friends. Watching Kazu die. Impmon disappearing right in front of him. Then his victory at the top of Mount Sakuya. Kazu leading him to the light. Embracing Rika and all the others again. The memories fill him with hope.

"So I retreated once more to that world. I was not welcome there any longer, so I was outcast soon after." He pauses in remembrance. "But it was too late. I had become something more."

He swells with pride now. He stretches his arms out wide, as if to embrace all of them in a group hug. "I have become something that could shift and change and adapt… Something forever connected to you… something that shifts with you… something that will never be gone."

He lowers his arms. He lowers his head. He stares directly at Takato, with slanted eyes, his rage bubbling underneath. "Darkness can be extinguished by light, but wherever there is light… there will be _shadows_."

He raises his head now and lifts his arms up, as if to show them the back side of his hands. "You see, shadows are a matter of circumstance. They're not all things to all people all the time… and neither am I."

Suddenly his skin changes. It grows grey and then black and then the rest of his body cascades like rain hitting a puddle. He now stands opposite of Takato, a mirror image of him except that everything about him is dark and grey. This was his body as The Darkness. There are gasps and hushed breathes. Slowly he moves his arms and the process happens again. This time it becomes purple in color, it grows taller, it's limbs longer. It sprouts wings and hair. This time it steals Jeri's face, appearing as the D Reaper ADR-01 agent. The corrupted form of Jeri that the Tamers fought against. She smiles wickedly at them.

Again, they begin to transform. Their feet melt into the ground. Their skin turns blue, the wings become a black cape with red trimming. Their head transforms into a grey helmet with yellow markings. There's a scar on their left eye. Their arms are long with black bands on the forearms. Their hands are huge, with red claws extending out. The hair is dirty white and their yellow eyes peer out at them. The children recognize this digimon, but it's not one they ever faced.

He changes again. He becomes a young man. He has short, brown hair with a ponytail at the back and pale blue eyes. He wears black robes with a purple turtleneck. He leers at them with an exaggerated smile. Then he changes again.

This time he grows taller and taller. He hulks above the children and they stare in disbelief. "Takato, stay back!" Renamon shouts, but he doesn't move. He is transfixed watching the transformation.

Guilmon, Gazimon, and Tapirmon are hooting and hollering. Slowly the transformation shutters into this next being. He leans over the children as a large digimon they have never seen before. He is a cyborg-like creature. His face is a skull staring down at them. He is padded in full golden and dark grey armor. There are antlers sticking out of his head. He has a red belt with a 4-star buckle. His right arm extends out as a giant scythe. His left arm is a claw, with a cannon attached. His left shoulder has deadly spikes, while his right shoulder has a sharp blade. Both of his knee caps are the same skull he has for a face.

For the first time that she can remember since the D Reaper was present, Rika's D-Arc glows to life. She feels it hum in her hand. She looks down and it projects a screen to her. A smaller picture of the Digimon in front of them appears. Ryo and Kenta notice this, the rest are busy with the monster in front of them.

"Uh, um, Re-Reapermon. Virus type. Mega level. Special attacks Grim Slasher and Burning Cyclone. It says he grapples his enemies towards him with the gun on his left hand, and decapitates them with the scythe on his right."

Despite being a monster digimon above them, he still speaks with Kazu's voice. "This is my preferred form. This form is perhaps the easiest to control. You see, Reapermon is a dark digivolution of Guardromon. And Takato, you know all about dark digivolutions don't you?"

For the first time Takato's eyes move away. He steals a brief look at the Guilmon standing a few feet away. Suddenly, Reapermon shudders and shrinks. He transforms back into the small teenage boy. He stands as Kazu, a few feet away from the Digidestined. His show and tell is done. He is ready for the next phase.

* * *

There are dry eyes all around now. The children are horrified at what they have seen. They were emotional seeing Kazu at first, but now, as he stands before them again, they feel different. Concern settles in. The void in Rika's stomach keeps stealing the energy from her. She looks again at the back of Takato's head and wonders how he is handling this.

There is only one of them who has any strength left. She has suffered more than most. She knows the many faces of death. Jeri clears her throat and says, "What do you want? Why are you here?"

Kazu turns his head and studies his host from another lifetime. He smiles, then turns to look at his trio of followers standing nearby. He laughs and they all laugh as well. He turns back to the children and says, arms extended wide, "We come not as conquerors, but as liberators!"

He lets this statement hang over the air. It lingers for a moment as Jeri and the others try to understand it. "I am here to set you all free. Your lives are a lie."

"You believe life in your world is worth living. I am here to show you, as Jeri showed me so long ago…" he pauses and flashes a wide smile at the brunette. She stares back, unmoved. "That your world is broken."

"Our world is fine the way it is." Jeri retorts. Rika looks across the way with worry for her friend.

Kazu shakes his head and stares up at nothing. "I am here to end the cycle of devastation. The wheel of oppression. You will all see that life in this world is not worth living. You will end your own lives and join me in the shadows."

Jeri spits back at him. "And if we don't?"

" _You_ will, Jeri." He stares right at her. " _You_ will beg to be killed. For if you choose to oppose me, then you will learn to obey."

There is a fire in Jeri's eyes. This feels personal to her. "I'll never beg for anything from you."

Kazu wears a look of triumph. He shakes his head slowly but smiles all the same. "You won't be begging _me_ to kill you."

Finally, this shakes Jeri. Whether the look in his eyes or the implication that he already knows something about the future. It unnerves her. Meanwhile, Takato lowers his head. Droplets fall from his face to the ground.

"I'm sorry, Kazu." He says, but something has changed. "I'm sorry I was not there for you, when you needed me." Takato begins to glow.

"I'm sorry that you called out for help and I didn't answer." A translucent aura began to surround him.

"But I will not let your memory and image be used as a weapon against us." He grew brighter, his skin shinier. A light began to emanate from him.

Takato's mind flashes back to the last time he saw Kazu. His breathing is smoothed and relaxed, just like the rest of his body. He thinks about the guidance and friendship he has with Henry and Ryo. How, while marred by unrequited affection, he still has a powerful friendship with Jeri. How Kenta has stayed in his life despite everything.

Most of all, though, Takato thinks about Rika's loving smile. Her lilac eyes being an oasis of purple in a desert of others. Her fire red hair lopped over her shoulders. How all the ways they were different only brought them closer together. The way her laughs fills the room. He thought of sitting in her room on gloomy Autumn days, in silence. They were so comfortable in silence. He thought of how he felt like himself when he was with her.

The rest of the group looks on in astonishment. Kazu takes a step back and holds an arm up to block some of the light. None of them saw him like this before. Jeri and Kenta saw him at a campfire and then he disappeared into the night to fight, and kill, The Darkness.

This moment is most profound for Rika. For so long she has felt like their group was staring into the abyss. She isn't sure where everyone else stood, but in light of recent events, she felt like the abyss stared into her now. Takato, standing there now, _glowing_. He is luminous. He is burning bright in the dark. He is a candle in the abyss. Deep in the darkness there he is, giving her hope. She's had tunnel vision, but now Takato is in the tunnel, and it gives her… hope.

"Call yourself The Darkness, call yourself The Shadow, call yourself whatever you want." Takato raises his hand up into a 'stop' sign and suddenly Kazu becomes rigid. He struggles to move under the pressure. The digidestined all look on in surprise as Takato appears to have control over him.

"I think my lightness and your darkness are destined to battle forever."

Takato slowly turns his hand inward, towards himself and then turns his hand into a fist. All of Kazu's extremities began to stretch to their furthest extent. Gazimon takes a step back slightly, further towards the fog curtains. Guilmon turns his head at an angle but otherwise doesn't move. Tapirmon remains faithful, unmoving. They each held their breath and their eyes dared each other to be the first to leave.

Takato pulls his hand to his side and Kazu flies towards him involuntarily!

"But in the end, light will always drive out the dark."

_'Candle in the abyss… all of my belief… pushing everything down… it was all worth it… it all meant something… it was all for this moment.'_

Takato and Kazu are a few inches apart. Takato's aura grows larger. Kazu strains his eyes and turns his head away, his face strained and sweating. Takato rests his hand on Kazu's chest as he levitates a foot off the ground. Takato's hand begins to glow brighter and brighter. A ball of light energy forming.

"You talk a lot, but never really say anything. Just like The Darkness. Well, is there anything else you'd like to say?"

Kazu gasps for air. The teens all look at one another, pride growing. The Darkness had sent it's reincarnation after them, and the lightness within Takato was still too much for it. Kazu's eyes are closed, and he struggles to breath. He pushes through and it manages to get out, "You said… we're _destined_ to… battle forever… But… you're wrong."

Suddenly, Kazu's extremities become relaxed. His head snaps forward, his eyes wide open. The dark blue of his eyes bore into the brown of Takato's. He drops down to the ground, Takato's hand leaves his chest. His head dips, breaking the eye contact. He has fallen to one knee, kneeling before Takato. Kazu lifts his head quickly and returns to looking into the windows of Takato's soul.

_Swip!_

Takato felt the wind knocked out of him. Kazu rises up off the ground. Slowly, Takato starts to rise up as well. It is Takato who levitates now.

"NO!" Jeri screams as loud as she can. "N-" but the rest of it is stuck in her throat

Takato's breath caught. His right hand slowly moves to his own chest. Rika follows his hand until she sees.

"TAKATO!" Henry screams.

Rika did not scream anything. She felt her soul leave her body.

Kazu's eyes look into Takato's and says, " _This_ is my destiny."

Kazu's right arm has transformed. The moment had happened so quickly that no one saw it. Extending out from his shoulder is Reapermon's scythe. It is buried into Takato's chest. Rika traces the path of the blade. It sticks out the other side of Takato's back, bloody.

Slowly Kazu lifts Takato up higher and higher.

"By this blade, your death will be undisturbed."

Takato couldn't breath. He looks down and his hands gingerly grab the blade, immediately cutting his palms and fingers, leaving more blood on the blade. His mouth fills with a liquid. It tastes like iron.

"You have been taught to obey. You are liberated."

Ryo reaches out, "No." He falls to one knee and looks up at the sight.

"A corpse allowed to rest in peace for eternity."

Yamaki's mouth hangs open. He grabs hold of Jeri to protect her. His brain can not process what is happening right in front of him. He feels he has broken from reality.

"Consider it mercy."

Then, in one swift movement, Kazu brings the scythe arm down and Takato's limp body slips off and down to the ground. He lays in a heap, not making a sound.

Rika looks on and feels empty inside. Everything moves in slow motion. She can't believe any of it is real. She can't believe what she has seen. It can not be real. It must be a nightmare. All of it. Send her back now. Let her wake up in her bed, now. Let it all be a dream. She can not accept what she has seen.

"Now go, and be with Kazu."

"NO!"

Renamon charges forward. Kazu flashes a maniac smile at her. Renamon dives at him, but he swiftly sinks into the shadows on the ground and is gone. She falls to the ground and skids to a stop. She looks up, looking for him, looking for the three digimon. They are all gone. There is no one.

Takato Matsuki couldn't hear anything. He couldn't breath. The fog clears above them and he stares up into the starless sky. He looks up into the void of the horizon. He could not stand up.

_'Why can't I stand up?'_

Rika is the first to move. She rushes to his side. She stops and stands over top of him. A trail of blood drips from his mouth and both nostrils. His eyes are vacant and stare out into the sky. A pool of red forms underneath him quickly. Rika gets on her hands and knees and grabs his body, placing her hands over the wound in his chest. She feels the tears flowing and can't stop them. The blood pools into a puddle.

Rika stares into the crimson. She cries hysterically but can't hear anything. She shakes as she tries to will Takato back to life. The others speak, and say things, and command her, but she doesn't hear any of them. Ryo and Kenta violently pull Rika off of him. She pushes and shoves them, but they pull her off. She shoves them away. She races forward, but Henry grabs her into a hug, holding her in place. He tries to reassure her. He doesn't know what to say. She doesn't hear him anyway. Her hands get blood all over him. Yamaki scoops Takato's lifeless body into his arms and the group moves towards the elementary school. Rika breaks free of his grasp and runs after Yamaki. Kenta grabs Rika's bookbag, D-Arc, and cards off the ground and chases after them. Renamon plows through the front doors. The group rushes in to find any medical supplies they can.

As they carry him in, the fog begins to descend upon them. It closes flush against the doors as they enter. Jeri turns around at the door and watches as it banks around the school, locking them in.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: The Shadow's various forms from this chapter: Kazu, The Darkness, D-Reaper Agent ADR-01 (Corrupted Jeri), Apocalymon (upper body only), Dark Gennai, and finally Reapermon. This chapter's OST is "Hands Held High" by Linkin Park.
> 
> Love always. Rukato forever.
> 
> Notorious


	10. Destiny

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Janyu Wong tries to fix a computer. Some digimon grow fat with strength.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Part of the journey is the end. Love and be loved. Read… and review!

**Destiny**

Amongst the shadows of a high rise tower, four figures emerge from thin air. They walk out under a street light. The city is alive but no one is near them. No one sees them. A small fox-like creature croaks a question.

"Master, why did you leave them? They are weak. Now is the time to kill them all."

Kazu smirks at his apostle. He shares his knowledge with Gazimon. "There can be no true torture without hope. They will either learn to obey, or they will now fight to stop us, and fail."

Gazimon looks away and takes this into consideration. Kazu concludes, "And the pain of having tried and failed will be the final twist of the knife before they are taught to obey."

"You are wise, Master." Gazimon chirps. Guilmon simply nods in agreement.

Tapirmon asks, "Where will we go now, Master?"

Kazu looks up at the high rise looming above them. Calmly he says, "We have monsters to make."

Slowly the four of them melt into the shadows again and vanish.

* * *

_'Gotta open that circuit board in the other room. So I - wait.'_

Janyu Wong stops in his tracks. He pats himself down and realizes he has his wallet in his pocket. He keeps walking toward his destination. He walks through the hallway almost completely in the dark. He's familiar with the space, so he doesn't need a lot of light to know where he's going. As he approaches the door he pulls his ID card from out of his wallet, and swipes the lock.

_Bee-BEEP_

_Click_

The light flashes red and then green. The door unlocks and he pushes it open. He enters a control room, where there are numerous large computers all operating at full capacity. He shakes a little as he walks in.

_'Hate this room, always freezing.'_

Large fans blast through the room, to keep the computers from ever overheating. For Janyu, it's like stepping into an icebox. The fans are so loud that he can't hear anything over them. He steps in and places his ID on a console near the door. He walks across the room and investigates a few of the digital readings on one of the monitors. He bends down from the knees until he is squatting on the ground, trying to inspect whatever is causing the technical issue.

Across the room, next to the door, a teenage boy rises from within the shadows. The teenager observes the man down on the ground, and thinks about his next course of action. He notices the ID badge on the console and picks it up. He holds the ID up and carefully looks it over, not saying anything to the man in the room.

Janyu's mind is preoccupied with all of the going ons of Hypnos. Repairing the PDAs so they can track emergences remotely again. Shibumi returning to work in two days, even if the man didn't know it yet himself. His mind pans to Henry, going to his first high school dance tonight.

' _I wish I could have been there.'_

Janyu hates the lies, and the deceit. He wants his family, his son, to know what was really going on. _'Maybe soon that domino will fall next?'_ Janyu isn't paying attention. It dawns on him suddenly that he can't do anything more in the room. He stares at a console screwed in. He'll need a different tool to open it and continue connecting the mainframe of Hypnos to the satellites for the PDAs. He taps the console and stands back up to leave the room.

"Ahhh!"

Janyu nearly jumps out of his skin. As he turns towards the door he sees a ghost. But the specter does not leave him. The longer he stares the longer it terrifies him. The phantom of the dead teenage boy stands before him, _holding_ his ID card.

_'Have I cracked? Has the stress finally taken me?'_

He can't believe he's saying it, but he asks nonetheless, "K-Kazu?"

Kazu looks at him for a split second, then returns to eyeing the ID card and turning it in his hand. He is wholly uninterested in Janyu the person, and far more intrigued by Janyu on his badge. After the pregnant pause he answers, "I'm not Kazu. Not entirely. Not anymore, at least."

If the boy wasn't talking to him right here, right now, right in front of him, Janyu would be certain he was imagining it. Even still, he can't be sure that he isn't hallucinating. The only logical question that comes to mind is to ask, "I don't understand?"

Kazu stops spinning the card and looks directly at Janyu. "You may call me… The Shadow."

* * *

The fans whir onward, providing the background noise to a silence that is deafening. Janyu Wong stares at the vision before him of a dead boy. He stands slack jawed, unsure of what to say. He feels the hairs on his neck standing up.

After another second, The Shadow looks away and continues spinning the card and says offhandedly, "Or Kazu, if you prefer."

Janyu's mind filtered through a number of questions to ask. He settled on, "If you're not Kazu, then what are you?"

"Yamaki asked me the same thing." Kazu replies without pause.

Janyu felt the tension rising. If the young boy exited the room with his ID card, Janyu would be locked inside the room with no escape. The cold air from the fans mixed with his current predicament leaves him to break out in a cold sweat. _'Wh-what if I… attack him?'_ Janyu contemplates the thought of charging the boy and wrestling his ID card back from him. ' _Is he even a child? He said he's not Kazu anymore.'_ He has to keep the boy talking.

"You met Yamaki? How is he?" Janyu thinks about how if this is a ghost, perhaps he's already haunted Yamaki?

Kazu huffs out a breath and says dejectedly, "Right now I'd imagine he's rather busy with all that blood on his hands."

'All that blood on his hands' strikes a cord with Janyu. It reverberates in his head. He thinks about what Yamaki said yesterday morning.

_'"It's just… there's blood on my hands."'_

The vision of Kazu knows more than he was letting on. The symbolism is not lost on Janyu. Yamaki lives with so much guilt from his failures with Hypnos. Failures that stem from the facility they're standing in right now.

_'Its what keeps him working and pursuing these many covert operations with endless vigor.'_

Janyu chews this thought in his mind for a few seconds while Kazu absentmindedly fiddles with the ID card. Finally Janyu says, "I think we all have some blood on our hands."

"Yes," Kazu says, looking into Janyu's eyes. "Some of us more than others."

The stay staring at one another. Slowly Janyu asks, "What are you doing here? What do you want?"

Kazu smirks briefly at this question. "I am here to bring freedom to this world."

"Freedom?" Janyu crosses his arms and rocks between his heel and the balls of his feet.

"Indeed," Kazu shakes his head. "I will break the wheel of oppression and liberate your world from the chains by which your lives are shackled."

His lips curl into an innocent smile. "And it starts by finishing your work."

Janyu's concern is reaching a tipping point. His rocking on his feet becomes overly done. He is preparing to lurch forward. He has to stop this boy, or vision, or ghost, or whatever he is. His eyes momentarily shift around the environment. He thinks through his attack. He practices it in his mind, closing the distance between the two before Kazu can finish closing the door. He takes a long breath, rocks far backwards.

Kazu extends his hand towards the older father and holds the ID card out towards him. "You'll need this, yes?"

Janyu stares in disbelief. Kazu arches his eyebrows at him. "To exit this room. You'll need this, yes?"

Slowly Janyu comes out of his trance. He carefully strides across the room and stops in front of the boy he used to know as one of Henry's friends; the boy who was buried a few months ago. But then he was in the digital world, and they didn't know any better about how death worked in the different worlds.

_'Perhaps he is alive? Perhaps I can save him? And right the wrongs? And make up for everything?'_

He reaches down and takes the ID from his hand.

Kazu looks up into his eyes. "Shall we begin?"

* * *

Janyu swipes the computer processor with his ID badge and enters his access codes. He finishes logging in with a thumb print scan. Kazu strides off into the dimly lit room and stares up at all of the computers. He listens as the computer processors stir to life.

Janyu looks up and adjusts his glasses as the boy slips further into the dark. He asks Kazu, "So how exactly will you complete our work now?"

Kazu stops and looks at the old man through the dark. "My genesis is within the digital world. I can do things here that you would take a lifetime to complete."

Janyu nods his head in agreement. He isn't sure why, but he feels this made sense. "Well, what can I do to help?"

"You have already done your part. I will finish what you all started."

"How so?"

"I told you before, I am The Shadow," Kazu starts to levitate off the ground. Slowly his entire body spins in a circle. "And darkness restores what light can not repair."

Panels light up all around the room. Computers begin operating on their own accord. The motorized chairs that had once held Tally and Riley suddenly move on their own. All of Hypnos is alive. Janyu had thought this would take weeks and a fully functioning team, with government agents. Now, Kazu has made it all happen in seconds.

The boy floats back down. Janyu leans over to read a monitor and asks, "What is the system doing?"

The reading scroll across the screen. Janyu is shocked to see them and feels uneasy. Kazu replies calmly, "The system needs time. It's been too long since its true potential was utilized."

Janyu saw the readings. This was what they had wanted, but it wasn't. They were executing the wrong command. As the system begins to boot up he asks, "You didn't explain to me yet, but how did you find Yamaki? Where did you meet him? You said you spoke with him, but as far as I knew he was busy tonight with Henry and the others?"

The lights all around the room dimmed to provide a low lighting. Kazu doesn't even look at Janyu as he says, "I found him at the school, where I killed Takato."

_'"Where I killed -"'_

Janyu heard it but the words didn't stick. He felt dumbstruck. "What?"

Kazu speaks plainly. There is no mirth, no rage. There is no emotion. He states facts. "I granted him mercy. I liberated him and sent his corpse to an undisturbed slumber.

Suddenly, Janyu felt his breath taken away. He couldn't move, couldn't do anything but stare at the young boy. His mouth was dry and his tongue felt heavy. His teeth felt sharp in his mouth, like they would cut his tongue open. He didn't say anything and Kazu notices.

The young boy marvels at his work as Hypnos pushes the boundaries of what it has previously accomplished. He turns to the old man and walks towards him,"I told you, Janyu. I am here to free your world."

Janyu felt the room was moving around him. He reaches for a chair and sits down quickly. Kazu approaches him.

"Monster Makers, Hypnos, Sovereigns, Tamers, Digidestine, Darkness, Lightness. They're all just spokes on a wheel."

The vertigo attacks Janyu but he also feels stuck. He's struggling to breath but also hangs on every word the boy speaks.

"This one's on top, then that one's on top, and on and on it spins, crushing those on the ground. I am here to break the wheel, to end the cycle of devastation."

The reality and gravity of the situation set in. Janyu realizes that this Shadow is not a friend nor ally. He's not Kazu. He's not someone that can be saved. The Shadow comes to a stop and stands overtop of him. He stares down at the paralyzed man and says, "You are confused and seek to understand. Let me show you."

All at once the shadows throughout the room advanced on Janyu and engulfed him before he could move.

* * *

The darkness fades. Janyu can't believe what he sees when he finally opens his eyes again. As if in some sort of suspended animation, he floats perfectly still high above the city of Shinjuku. He looks down from above and perhaps most jarring of all is the omnipresence of the fog that has rolled in over the last few weeks. It is everywhere now, and it obscures the view of the ground. Some sort of lower clouds, hanging above the city and blocking the view of the moon and the sky.

"It's so sad." Janyu jumps at this. He had not realized that Kazu stood beside him, also looking down at the fog blanketing the city.

"The people of your world are not the Masters of their lives. Their lives are not their own."

"Ahhhhhh!" Janyu yells as they involuntarily fly downwards, through the fog and to a point where they can see the bustling city streets of Shinjuku.

When they stop, they are 12 feet in the air, above the crowded streets. Kazu and Janyu watch the various tops of heads bob up and down the street. Not a single one stops to notice the pair floating above them. No one sees them, or at least no one cares.

"These people try to make 'the best' of their situations." Janyu looks over at Kazu momentarily, then back to the crowds bustling around. "They do not see that their lives are predetermined at birth. They are fated to suffer the slings and arrows of a thousand misfortunes."

They slowly begin to move down the street. Janyu wants to stop, wants to get out of this nightmare. But he moves with the boy without control over his own body. Kazu goes on, "They are born impoverished, whether it is financially or emotionally, and they die impoverished."

The crowd begins to thin out as some break away down side streets to return home. It is nearly 9:00 PM and the city ordinance requires them to be home soon. "They are forever financially indebted to someone else. They are kept in place by a system of checks and balances that prevents them from rising above their station." The last few of the crowd begins to disappear. There are only a few people left that they float above, and they are getting further apart.

For the first time, Janyu hears emotion in Kazu. There's an anger in his voice, a resentment about him. "They're all just lambs to the slaughter. No shepherd to guide them."

The last three of the crowd fall before them, but a young lady turns a corner and breaks away and the two follow her as well. She hangs up a phone call, and hangs her head. Janyu eyes her curiously.

"Do you want to know what has happened to her, Janyu?"

Janyu looks with alarm at The Shadow. He shakes his head quickly, "No! It's not my business!"

Kazu goes on, "Her lover of the last two years ended their relationship earlier this week. Tomorrow is the six year anniversary of her sisters dying in a car accident. She lost her job three months ago. Now she works as a bartender with a university degree which does nothing for her, but which she will spend the rest of her natural life paying off."

Janyu grew sad, watching the girl walk alone on the street. Kazu continues, "She is objectified night-in and night-out. She has lost all sense of self-worth."

Janyu wants to call to the girl; wanted to help her after hearing all of this.

"We are here to help her. To liberate her."

The girl turns a corner and a cloud of fog appears from nowhere. She walks through it and becomes sullen. Janyu blinks and they have phased to a new location. They stand at the end of a sidewalk, and the young woman is approaching them through the dark, highlighted only by the lamp posts above.

"We will free her. And it will be quicker and easier than falling asleep."

She looks around, rolls up her sleeves to cover her hand and then wipes tears away. There is a new look in her eyes. A resolve. A defeat. She comes to a stop in front of Janyu and Kazu. Red floods on her face from the crosswalk light. Janyu looks deep into her eyes, but she sees right through him.

"Please, no." Jamyu whispers.

The Shadow whispers back, "A sad soul will kill quicker than any germ."

Her face becomes washed in white. The light changes. She steps forward, walks into Janyu and everything dissolves.

* * *

The darkness fades again. It slowly recedes and vision is restored. The sight comes before the sound. Janyu realizes he is in the same chair inside of Hypnos again. Then the sounds of the entire facility at work comes to his ears. He remembers what The Shadow has done to the computers.

_'I have to stop this.'_

Janyu is jolted back to life when Kazu appears beside him, seeming to appear from thin air. "They do not have to suffer alone. They can be with us and with each other."

Kazu looks all around the room at the machines at work. Bringing together everything he has worked for. Everything brought him to this moment. "We offer them a solution: join us and be free of pain… or don't, and you will be taught to obey."

Janyu feels a tightness in his chest. His breathing becomes labored. Kazu continues, "In becoming obedient, then they will be free. Free from a world that attempts to break them anyway. Accept the will of the shadows and you will relinquish your pain with it."

He pauses and looks down at Janyu, who can't catch his breath. The hyperventilating has begun. The panic is consuming the man.

"So-so-so what? So you'll attempt to ov-overwhelm them until they surrender on their own? You'll 'free' them?" He is gasping for air, but the moment is sucking the oxygen out of the room.

"Aye." Kazu nods.

"An-and if they don't you'll kill them? With this? With Hypnos? With Juggernaut?"

"I offer them an eternity in the shadows."

"By trading their lives?"

"A small price to pay for salvation."

"You're a monster."

"I am destiny foretold."

Janyu looks around at the machines whirring to full speed.

_Bzz Bzz_

His cell phone vibrates a few feet away but there's nothing for him to do about it. He doesn't know what to do or what to say. He is the only one who could shut the program down now. Even if he couldn't use his swipe card and thumb print, he knew he could disable it if he just opened the panels he was looking at earlier in the other room. He has to plot his escape from this thing so he could regroup and defeat it. There has to be a way out.

He carefully averts his eyes and sees a hammer on a shelf not far from him. Perhaps he could get a hold of it and use that to defend himself.

_'Hell, at least get a few whacks in before that thing attacks me again.'_

In his peripheral, something moves. Janyu's eyes return front and center to the boy standing over him. Slowly, Kazu's right arm begins to glow with a dark light. It begins growing. Janyu's eyes follow it as he watches it change. It transformed into a scythe large enough to cut him clean in half!

Kazu lazily moves the blade through the air. He examines it and asks, "Tell me, Janyu Wong, do you believe in destiny?"

He slowly raises the scythe until it is pointed directly at Janyu's chest. Janyu considers it. He knows what the ramifications are before he knows what his answer is to the question. He also knows that it doesn't matter what he says.

Instead, he thinks of Henry and Suzy and Rinchei and Jaarin. His wife, Mayumi. His decisions that led him to this point. _'I'm not sure if we get to come back from it.'_ He thought of Hypnos and the Monster Makers. ' _In time it will get better.'_

"I am a man of science," Janyu says. He is defiant but defeated. He speaks boldly and looks into The Shadow's eyes. "I do the math, and I do not take risks. I don't believe in luck or fate or destiny."

There is a sadness about Kazu now. Almost a regret. He is sorry to hear this. He replies, "That is unfortunate."

Kazu carefully moves the scythe until it is pushed against his chest, near his neck. He pushes the tip of the scythe into Janyu's chest, slowly but effortlessly as the father lets out a stifled yell.

"Ahh-ahhh."

The scythe punctures the man until it is fully through him and he stops when he feels it begin pushing into the fabric of the chair on the other side. Kazu leans in and grabs Janyu by the back of the head, and redirects the older man to face him.

Janyu stares out into space, feeling the life drain from him. Kazu carefully pulls the scythe out. As he does so, he looks into Janyu's soul and whispers, "Be free, my child."

As the scythe is removed, Janyu goes limp, his arms at his side. His eyes roll away and he sinks into the chair. Blood spools into his shirt and drips down his arms, off his hands, and at last onto the floor. The last bit of light leaves him and seeks out a dark corner to illuminate.

* * *

From out of the shadows, three figures emerge, all watching Kazu. Tapirmon, Guilmon, and Gazimon all step into the light.

"Is it finished, Master?" Gazimon asks anxiously.

Kazu takes one last look into Janyu's vacant eyes and then turns away. He looks at his soldiers and states, "Not yet."

Guilmon cocks his head to the side and asks, "What must be done?"

Kazu steps back and looks up around the dimly lit room. "We need more time before the human's machine is fully operational."

Gazimon looks around furtively. "What will these machines accomplish?"

Kazu strides towards glass windows looking over the city. The stench of death fills the air. He is not long for this room "You all will recall how difficult it was for me to summon you here without drawing suspicion. These machines will make that much easier."

"At least the humans are good for something." Guilmon remarks.

Tapirmon looks onward, at Kazu. "What would you have us do?"

Kazu considers it, looking out the window at the city. The fog is thicker than ever before. It rises high above the city streets now, climbing higher by the second, obscuring the view above.

Finally, he answers. "Awaken the dragons. We will need all of them to push back against Renamon when she comes to make her stand."

"Is that all?" Guilmon asks.

Kazu shakes his head, eyes on the fog. "No. Set the trap to capture her."

"Why must we?" Gazimon asks, but there is a hint of doubt in his voice.

"We can not take risks. There's too much at stake. If things go wrong, as they did for the Darkness, we must be ready."

"What about the man?" Tapirmon asks.

A mirthless grin flashes on Kazu's face. He turns to face his acolytes. "When the time comes, do as we promised. Take _everything_ from him."

Kazu closes his eyes and feels himself weaken, as if a part of him is unplugged. From the corner the 3 digimon become surrounded by the shadows. Their eyes glow with a lilac hue. When it is done, Kazu breathes deeply through his nose and says, "Go. Take my power and grow fat with strength. When you no longer need it, or if you are in danger, then return the power to me."

His voice hoarse, Tapirmon asks, "Where will you go now?"

Kazu turns his eyes out the window to the park. "To wait."

The three digimon evaporate into the shadows. Kazu takes one last look around the room and then does so as well. When he rises again, he is before a simple, isolated body of water. He has found this place in the Shinjuku Park. Through the forest and the trees, he has come to wait.

Fog is everywhere but spread across the pond it is clear. He trusts his apostles to do his work, but knows that there may be other forces at play, and to not underestimate the girl. Renamon's presence with the children had complicated matters and set him back. But now he stood, on the precipices of victory. Now he stood, on the rocks of the pond, staring up at the luminous moon.

Over time, he learns the fate of his soldiers. He hears explosions in the distance. People are screaming, although he can't hear them, he knows it to be true. The people are scared. They are afraid to obey. Slowly the sounds stop. He feels the power return to him. He stares out at the water when all of a sudden a shadow sweeps over him in the soft glow of the moonlight.

He speaks to the secret spot, "You could not live with your own failure."

He lowers his head in reverence. He shakes it in disappointment.

"And where did that bring you?"

His head rises. His body twists. He turns to see a figure clad in yellow armor approaching.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: This Chapter's OST is "Break the Wheel" by Ramin Djawadi.
> 
> Love always. Rukato forever.
> 
> Notorious


	11. Broken Glass

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rika returns to the ocean.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Part of the journey is the end. Love and be loved. Read… and review!

**Broken Glass**

' _Takato is dead.'_

The young brunette stares out the school doors. They rattle at her against the force of the fog crashing against them. She watches as the fog banks down and around the school, locking them in.

She tries to turn around but everything is heavy. In the soft light breaking through the glass windows, the floor is awash in pale blue-yellow. The moonlight pours in flooding the old hallway she used to know so well. Jeri Katou looks down and sees a trail of red splattered on the ground, winding up the hallway, into a room on the right. Her eyes lock on to the door frame as her mind replays what has just happened.

From within the door frame a figure explodes outward. She jumps at the sight, as Henry bounds out, looking for supplies. Jeri's mind flashes many things. The memories of this school. The image of Takato skewered alive, rising up. Kazu, alive, somehow, being manipulated by that thing. Now this, the dimly lit hallway with a line of blood leading into a classroom.

She plods along slowly. In a second Kenta comes flying around a corner and into the room, Ryo exiting the room another moment after. She listens to all of them yelling but can't hear any of it. She can't even hear herself think as she arrives at the door frame.

Jeri peers into the room. She can't help but feel like the image will be stamped on her memory forever. Yamaki barks orders from his knees as he administers CPR to Takato on the floor of the dark classroom. Jeri watches in horror. Her eyes trail to the blood all along the floor. It's everywhere. Rika paces around the room, inconsolable. Suddenly, Henry is slipping past her in a hurry back into the room. Jeri steps out of the way.

Rika's all white kimono is soaked in blood now. Her hands drip with the blood of the love of her life. Rika wipes her brow and smears blood all across her face, without realizing it. She paces out of control, her eyes fleeting back to Yamaki and Takato's body over and over and over again. Jeri approaches the body, but is overwhelmed by the sight and smell. She retches.

_Hugh_

She throws up a little in her mouth, but manages to keep most of it down. She looks back at Rika, face covered in blood, sweat, and tears. She pulls a handkerchief out of her pocket and quickly walks away from the body. She moves the few feet towards Rika, who never even notices Jeri coming. She keeps fidgeting with her entire body, unable to stand still for more than a few seconds. Jeri approaches and stops in front of her friend. She puts her left hand on Rika's shoulder. She partially blocks the girl's view of Takato's body. Jeri reaches up with the cloth and Rika goes to swat her hand away, fresh tears rising to the surface.

"Get away!" Rika demands.

"Here, just…" Jeri insists.

She steadies Rika with her hand. Rika looks away from the dead teenager and into the eyes of her friend. Jeri is scared. Rika is in disbelief. Jeri pauses and looks into her eyes.

"Just…"

She raises the cloth and Rika stills. Jeri wipes her face and Rika closes her eyes. Jeri wipes a few times and when she's done she looks down at the handkerchief. It wasn't exactly bright white before, but now it is dark red. Rika looks down at it, confused and alarmed. Rika looks into Jeri's eyes, but Jeri is looking away. Absentmindedly she hands Rika the rag and then finds a seat nearby to sit down in. Her body is finally catching up with her brain as she processes everything. Rika watches her long enough to make sure she gets sat down. She looks at the rag, covered in blood.

_'Takato's blood.'_

* * *

Yamaki huffs deep breaths. His mind races with calculations and estimates. He's a man of science, so he's doing the math. He's trying to break down what next steps to take. Even if Takato could survive being impaled, the blood loss was extreme. The internal bleeding, the organs and tissues tearing, all near the heart. Yamaki just accepts that he probably broke some of the young boy's ribs while trying to resuscitate him. While this is going on, he doesn't feel the presence of another approaching.

Rika Nonaka stops behind the kneeling blonde man. She holds her hand up to cover her nose from the smell and her mouth as she gasps for air.

_'This isn't real. This can't be real.'_

His vacant eyes stare out into nothing. His blood stains the ground beneath him, and the floor leading to his resting place. The way his arms hung limply every which way. The three other young boys all stop and stand in the doorway looking in. They don't know what to do with themselves. They don't know how to feel. Rika can't contain herself and sobs loudly.

Yamaki comes to his senses and jumps up, turning to Rika and carefully reaching for her. "Rika, you shouldn't see this-"

He touches her arm and begins blocking her view. She yells at him and pulls her arms away. "Let me go!"

He reaches for her again. He is older, he knows better. This is not what she needs right now. "Rika."

Her hands move quickly as she shoves him away, "Let me fucking go!"

Yamaki backs away and puts his hands up. He shakes his head momentarily and then steps out of her way. Rika advances and kneels down at Takato's side. Yamaki watches as she weeps next to his corpse. He turns and leaves the room to give her privacy and get himself some space to think.

Rika speaks hoarsely to the body of her boyfriend. "Takato, please. Takato, get up."

She puts her hands on his chest and nothing changes. "You can't be dead, Takato. You can't."

A fresh wave of tears attacks Rika, and she sobs, "Please, Takato. You can't."

She leans forward and ducks her head. Her eyes shut and tears trickle down. Her entire body shakes and she feels a pain in the pit of her stomach. She clutches it with her hands and wishes it would go away. Rika's mind races. She thinks about the last few weeks. The memories come in flashes.

Their walks through her garden in the moonlight.

_'"I want to see it because you want to see it."'_

Arguing about time travels and kissing outside his house.

'" _Rika, the best partner to me would be you just being_ yourself. _"'_

_'"I see you. And I am here for you."'_

Holding him as they both cried.

_'"When I'm with you, I remember everything."'_

_'"By this blade…"'_

_'No!'_ She screams in her head.

Rika lifts her head. She still clutches her stomach but looks around. Sitting in a ball on the ground by the entrance is Kenta, next to him is her book bag that she had forgotten outside. He is covering his face, crying. He is haunted by the relationship he let drift away. He thinks about how he should have done something, should've said something. He thinks about how his chance is gone, and so is Takato. ' _Just like Kazu.'_

Meanwhile, out in the hallway, Ryo is speaking at Yamaki. His words are indiscernible to Rika, but they are full of emotion. Yamaki has his hands up to try and calm the youth down, but Ryo is getting increasingly agitated. Going to anger and violence is a habit that Ryo is not proud of, a negative trait he has been working to curb over the years. This moment would be considered a setback, and he may never be the same.

Finally, Henry. The always stoic third member of their team, he now sits in a world of solitude. He stares out into space, his mind trying to process everything, but his brain replaying the sequence over and over again. Rika had looked to him previously as a source of wisdom. Someone full of life and knowledge. Now he is just numb.

_'"Consider it mercy…"'_

The pain spikes in Rika. She would give anything to take this pain away. She would trade places with Takato in an instant, if it brought him back. ' _This can't be real. This can't FUCKING BE REAL!'_

Rika needs help. ' _Takato is dead.'_ Henry is a space cadet. Kenta doesn't even like her. Ryo is about to start swinging. Jeri-

_'Jeri!'_

Rika turns her body and peers behind her. Sitting there, doing math on her hands, is Jeri Katou. A hope at last. '" _I'm right here, Rika.'"_ All the advice, the friendship, the guidance. Someone who has been with her all along, who understands. Rika shoots up and spins her whole body to face the girl. Jeri doesn't look up but keeps her eyes on her fingers as she twitches and moves them.

Rika moves forward, pushing desks out of the way to get to her. She gets down on her knees so she can be on Jeri's level. Rika grabs her arm and looks up into her eyes. Jeri doesn't even look at her. She just keeps looking at her fingers.

"Jeri, I need you right now. Jeri, what do we do?"

Jeri tries to say something but no words come out.

"Jeri, you said it. You said you're right here. You told me that before, and I need you right now."

Rika leans in and tries to get Jeri's eyes to look at her. Jeri's eyes transfix on her finger tips.

"Jeri?"

Rika follows the line of sight to look at Jeri's fingers. It's not her fingers she looks at, but her whole hands. They're pale crimson. Her fingertips in particular are coated in the remnants of blood from wiping Rika's face earlier.

"Jeri…"

Jeri moves her head to look at Rika. Their eyes meet for a second. Tears well up in the brunette's eyes. Her lips quiver. Her entire upper body shakes. She bows her head and begins sobbing.

"Jeri."

"I CAN'T DO THIS."

She yells into the ground. Rika pulls her into an embrace. She runs her hand through the brown hair as Jeri cries into Rika's shoulder. "Not again, Rika. Not another one. Not him. Not him. Not-"

Rika pulls her friend closer, until Jeri comes out of the chair and into Rika's arms, in a heap on the ground. The hot tears spill onto Rika, as Rika sits there failing to console her. Rika came to her for advice, as she had done before, and instead is the one trying to keep the pieces together.

"Rika, my Mom," she says between sobs, "and then Leomon,"

"I know, Jeri." Rika whispers back.

"And then Kazu."

"I know."

"And now-"

"I know." Rika rocks the girl back and forth.

"I can't lose anymore, I can't lose you, I can't-"

"I'm right here, Jeri. I'm right here." She is doing what she can.

* * *

Jeri breaks down into uncontrolled sobs and clenches Rika so tight it hurts. Rika stares out, running her hands through Jeri's hair, slowly rocking her friend. Rika is doing her best, but she is outmatched. She has her own demons to tangle with. Left to her own devices, they come back in waves.

Jeri has lost people, but Rika has lost people too. Her father, Renamon, for a time, and now Takato. She remembers Takato promising that he would stay with her. Promise. So many promises. ' _Love is made to just break and burn and end.'_ No one could love her. ' _No one who could stay anyway.'_

The pain. The heartache. How they drifted away. She remembers it all too well. _'"the lightness deep within you, the lightness that saved us."'_ Pushing it down. _'"this perfect person for you."'_ Pushing it all the way down. _'"I am going to stay with you."'_ He was luminous. _'Candle in the abyss.'_ No one could love her. No one could love her.

_'"_ This _is my destiny."'_ A soft flow of wind brushes against the back of Rika's neck.

Everything that had happened. Everything she had done. All to preserve the light in him. Then she saw that lightness… and it didn't matter. The Shadow killed him anyway. _'What was it for? What did it mean? Why did I do this? What do I do now?'_

Rika's faith in the light is destroyed. Sitting on the floor of the middle school, holding her best friend as she wept. Thinking about all of the pain in her life, this was where she lost her faith. Rika is shaken to her core. ' _How do I come back from this?_ Do _I come back from this?'_

_Drop_

Rika Nonaka feels nothing inside of her soul. It is hollow and all the spark has gone out.

_'It didn't mean anything. It was all for nothing.'_

She thinks about how she should have done something. She thinks about how she did nothing.

A commotion starts up out in the hallway. Yamaki and Ryo go tumbling to the ground. Henry snaps to life and rushes to break it up. Kenta wipes tears and snot on his sleeve. He gets up as well to go deal with the fight.

Rika lifts her hand up to run it through Jeri's hair again but her hand shakes. She looks at it for a moment. It knocks against the back of Jeri's head for a second. Jeri thinks this is a sign to get off, so she lifts herself off of Rika and back into her chair. She bows her head and covers her face in anguish.

Rika stares at her shaking hand and sits alone on the floor. Her sadness changes. It evolves. ' _They killed him.'_ She roars to life. Something that has always been there rises. A fire within that should have been suffocated is now raging.

Rika feels broken.

But broken glass can still kill.

And so could Rika.

Rika stands. Her head is bowed slightly and she looks at Takato's dead body with slanted eyes. There is nothing anyone could say to stop her now. She will burn them all. She is on the warpath, clamoring towards destruction. Beside her, Jeri whimpers at the desk. In her peripheral Renamon steps out of the shadows. Head cocked to the side, the fox looks oddly at her partner.

"What are you going to do, Rika?"

Head unmoving, Rika's eyes dart to Renamon and then away. They return to her boyfriend, her gogglehead, dead on the ground. She looks down at her hands. They both shake violently now. She tries to still them. She can not.

"I'm going to find, and I'm going to kill," she lifts her head and her violet eyes stare into Renamon's. Blood and sweat drip down the side of her face. "Every. Last. One of them."

_CRACK_

Rika is enveloped in black and grey. She finds herself on the beach again. Renamon is still there. Jeri is still there. Through the wall that is no longer there, she sees Yamaki, Ryo, Kenta, and Henry all talking now, their voices indistinguishable. Jeri is still at the desk. Kenta is still sitting cross legged on the floor. Ryo still sat in a chair. Their surfaces are still with them. But _she_ is on the beach.

She takes in her new surroundings. The convoluted clouds above. The black lightning striking. The soft rumble of thunder. The feeling of the sand whipping against her legs in the wind. The sound of the ocean, calling to her. Her eyes turn to the water and there they are again. Twenty yards away, the shadowy figures, staring out at the horizon.

A memory comes to Rika. A golden blonde with her same lilac eyes, sitting across from her, on the cusp of victory. Rika had felt something that night facing Dany in Mr. Omu's card shop. She felt like fate was a wave. Crashing endlessly onto the shore. It comes and goes. It is forever crashing into us and returning us to the ocean. Rika determines that she will be like the wave, and crash. _'Return to the ocean.'_

Rika takes a step towards it and immediately Renamon is upon her, gripping her arm. She turns back to her partner, the only thing tethering her to this world still.

"Rika, what are you doing?"

"I have to do this, Renamon."

"Have you gone crazy? I've watched this happen to you before. You're phasing out of this world. Where are you going?"

"Renamon, please."

"Rika, your friends are hurting and they need you. _I_ need you."

"And I need you to trust me. I've ignored this for too long. I need to see what it is."

"What if it's a trap?"

"I don't think it is. Yamaki thinks this and the Shadow are linked, but I don't think they are."

Renamon tries to protest but something tells her Rika is right. Something tells her to let go. She releases her grip.

Rika nods at her partner. "Thank you, Renamon."

Rika faces forward. The ocean is up ahead. Twenty yards away. She starts walking towards it, when Renamon says, "Be careful."

Jeri lifts her head from her lap. Through exhausted, bleary eyes she watches. Rika looks staticy and translucent, just like she did in the park that night. She watches with worried eyes as her friend steps away from them. She wants to protest but feels too weak to say anything.

_CRACK_

Out in the hallway, Yamaki hears the thunder and sees lightning flash in the windows. He walks towards the school's main entry, the one they had come in through, peering up into the night sky at the cloud formations.

Just outside the classroom, Kenta looks down into his lap on the ground. Henry and Ryo sit in silence together, unsure of what to do. None of them are aware of what is happening just a few feet away.

Jeri and Renamon watch as Rika fades slowly out of their world. Rika steps forward and suddenly she disappears in an instant. Her cell phone falls from the sky and onto the ground where she had stood just a second ago.

* * *

The first thing that Rika notices is that her clothes have changed. Like stepping through a waterfall, she feels a rush downward and it draws her eyes to the sand. Her bloodstain kimono is gone, replaced with her old 'Tamers' outfit. The broken heart shirt, button-fly blue jeans, red wrist bands, red steel-toed sneakers, and belt buckle around her waist and left leg. She even felt her hair up in a high ponytail now, recreating her old 'pineapple' look.

The wind howls, the sand kicking up with it. Rika looks out across the beach at the figures in the sea. This time is different. She has truly come to the ocean this time, not just been transported here.

_'No turning back now.'_

Rika trudges forward, across the beach. The figures draw nearer. She comes to a stop a few feet away from them, right on the water's edge. They do not move. They do not turn around. Rika looks down at the water crashing again and again at her feet. Rising up towards her, but never quite reaching. Rika looks up and focuses on them, ankle deep in the water. A boy and a girl. This time though, it is different. Their features begin to take shape. Before they were black and grey like the rest of the world. Now, they are changing. Color is returning to them.

The boy has pale skin and dark blue hair. It is straight and rather long, falling down more in the front than in the back. He wears a grey jacket, and grey pants. He is thin, but lean. Rika swears he looks like a soccer player.

The girl has peach skin, brown hair, and from behind Rika believes she sees a hair clip holding it to the side. She wears a pink and white, sleeveless turtleneck. She has long pink, fingerless gloves. She has yellow shorts, thigh-high white socks and pink boots that disappear into the water. Somewhere in the recesses of her mind Rika knows these people. She doesn't know how, but she does.

"Rika?"

The girl turns to her side and looks behind her. Her eyes are brown, not black or grey, and they gaze into Rika. The boy begins to turn as well. Instinctively, Rika steps forward, towards them, towards the water.

"Rika!"

The girl moves towards Rika and reaches her arms upward. She splashes in the water, kicking it up and lets out a squeal of excitement as she wraps the redhead in an embrace. She quickly releases the shocked teen and grabs her by the shoulders. The smile on her face is delirious. Rika stares with a hung jaw, trying to remember where she knows this girl from.

"You finally made it!" The girl says, smiling from ear to ear.

"I have never been happier to be wrong." The boy says, standing a couple of feet away.

Rika stares at the brunette girl, clad in pink, yellow, and white, smiling, standing in the ocean's water. The gears turn in her head as she tries to place it.

"I knew this would be the time, Ken. I told you."

' _Ken?'_

"You did, and I was wrong. Again, perfectly okay with that in this case."

Rika turns her attention to the boy. She concentrates and stares intently at him. This is not lost on them. He smiles bashfully at Rika before greeting her, "Hello, and welcome."

"Don't mind him, he's just shy when he meets new people." The brunette grabs Rika's right arm with both of her hands. She doesn't pull her closer into the water, but it is an invitation.

"You're… Ken… from-"

"Yes. I am."

"Yes, he is!"

Rika looks back at the brunette and it's like she's seeing her for the first time. ' _How can this be?'_

The realization pops into Rika's mind like a cheap party balloon. The face, the hair, the clothes. She does not understand how, but looking at her now, she can not be mistaken. Ken smiles and adds, "And this is my friend-"

"Kari…" Rika says dumbfounded, but absolutely certain. "You're Kari Kamiya."

"And _you_ ," the brunette smiles mischievously, her brown eyes glistening, "are Rika Nonaka."

* * *

Rika has gone off the deep end. She abandoned Renamon and Jeri and her friends who needed her, and willingly came to this world, and she can't go back now. She surrendered to her negative feelings to enter this world. She lost Takato and is now on this journey alone. She is facing an enemy in the Shadow who is ruthless and several steps ahead of her, nevermind being immune to the same things that defeated The Darkness. She has reached the water and finally engaged with the shadowy figures waiting for her. And now here they are, cartoon characters from a show she watched years ago. This has to be a hallucination of some sort. Her trauma manifesting itself in a way to attempt to comfort her.

"I've been dying to say this: the Digimon Queen meets the former Digimon Emperor."

"Kari!" He shouts at her and she bursts out laughing.

_'I've definitely gone off the deep end.'_

"How is this… I just…"

Ken smiles warmly at her. "I'm sure you have lots of questions."

Kari looks at her colleague briefly then back at Rika, smiling. "What do you want to know?"

Rika stammers at this. The questions are innumerous. She doesn't know where to start or how any of it could ever make sense. She tries to start but her mind trips over itself. She settles on, "How, how are you real? You two are just. You're just. You're-"

"Characters from a TV show?" Kari raises her eyebrows.

"Yes." Rika replies, exhaling a sigh of relief. She's not sure why, she doesn't feel any relief.

They both stand ankle deep in the water. They look exactly like they did on the show. They're teenagers, barely older or about the same age as Rika. They wore the same clothes from the show, the same way Rika wore her old Tamers clothes. Kari speaks, "Why is it so hard to believe we're real? With everything you've learned, are you really surprised? The Digital World is real. The Dark Ocean World is real. The Royal Knights are real. Is it really hard to believe that _we_ could be real too?"

Rika's head recoils instinctively. She blinks a few times. The very basic logic of what Kari says registers. Growing up, Rika's father had encouraged her to play the card game far more than watch the show. She knew what strength was and how to be strong, but the lore of the show was not her speed. That's really Kenta and Kazu's area of expertise.

_'Well, it_ was _their area of expertise.'_

She remembers the excitement of herself and her friends when Azulongmon called them Digidestined, and mentioned the Royal Knights. It gave everything they did more depth, more meaning. But facing that depth now is entirely different, and quite overwhelming. Rika can't deny the simple truth in what Kari says, but it still doesn't feel real.

"No, I guess it is possible." She concedes, but it feels more like another question. She stares out at the horizon as the waves come rolling in.

"Just look at her, Kari, she's drowning. I told you this would be too much."

"Oh c'mon, she's fine. This is exactly what she needs right now. Or else she wouldn't be here."

Rika looks back at the two Digidestined. More questions come to mind. "What are you two doing here? What am _I_ doing here?"

Ken huffs and looks away. Kari smiles wider. "We're here for you! And you're here because you've lost your way."

Rika files that response away for further questioning later but next asks, "How are you here? How did we all get here?"

"You already know how," Ken replies without returning eye contact. "The ocean calls to us."

"Rika, maybe it would be better if I just tried to explain?" Kari offers.

Rika stares at the girl with wild bewilderment and nods her head. Kari closes her eyes briefly and draws in a deep breath. "We don't exist in your world, but we do in ours. You don't exist in our world, but you do in yours. The Digital World connects us all to multiple universes of different Digidestined and Tamers and Saviors and Warriors and Legends and so much more."

This was not helping Rika. It was compounding the issue in her mind.

"Ken and I will never be alive in your universe, and you will never live in ours." She reaches a hand out. Rika eyes it for a second before taking it. Kari carefully pulls her out into the water, until Rika is ankle deep with them. "But through the Digital World and other worlds, like this one, we _are_ all connected."

Ken adds, "Think of these worlds as a bridge. We all live in Japan, just like you and your friends, we even attend the same schools, but we don't exist in the same places and times. Our places and times are either ends of the bridge. Now, neither of us can cross the bridge to the other's side, but we can all stand on the bridge, together."

Kari gives him a look of appreciation. "Thank you, Ken, that was perfect!"

"So that means, everything in the shows, it was all real? Everything you did?"

Kari nods her head with enthusiasm, "Just as real as everything you did."

A moment of silence passes. Rika takes in the information they've shared. They give the redhead her necessary space to let it sink in. After a few seconds, Rika asks, "You said the ocean called you here. But how did you know I would be here? You knew my name?"

Kari radiates with energy, "We know about what you did in the Digital World. All of your adventures there, we heard about all of them. From the Sovereign and the Royal Knights. We were amazed."

Another moment of silence falls and after giving her a chance to breathe, Kari jumps in again, "You know," she waits for Rika to look in her hazel eyes. "'Rika' and 'Kari' are made from the same letters. We're kind of like kindred spirits."

Kari Kamiya is a kindred spirit to Rika Nonaka? _'I've definitely gone off the very deep end.'_ She presses on with more questions, "How did you know to find me here? Why not the Digital World? And why didn't you help us when we've fought the D-Reaper and The Darkness?"

"Well, it's like Ken said." Kari turns to smile at her colleague. "The Ocean called us here."

Rika's confused expression tells Kari she should go on. "So we didn't help you with your own adventures because the Digital World didn't warn us about what was going on. This is different. Ken and I, we're bound to this place. We didn't really know you would be here. The way the Ocean calls to you, it calls to us. We've learned over the years that it's not always because of our own sadness, but sometimes others."

"So… my sadness called you here?"

Ken interjects, "Your whole group, Rika. You've all been in bad places. But yours has been especially poignant."

"Just like the Digital World and the Real World have their own rules, so does this world." Kari adds. "We didn't come here because you needed us. We came here because the Ocean knew you needed us."

Rika ponders this for a moment. The Shadow had said something about this world. That he had been removed from it.

_'Does this ocean have a mind of its own?'_

Kari offers, "This isn't our first time here, waiting for you. We've been here a few times. And we would wait for days."

"Days?"

"After Kari and the original group defeated Apocalymon, time was reformatted. But at some point, in all of your groups adventuring, things got out of whack again."

"We've always suspected it was the defeat of the D-Reaper." Kari adds. "Something about putting the Digital World back into an unchecked state resulted in time becoming warped."

"So, how long have you been waiting?" Rika asks, skipping over those details because it was too much to wrap her head around.

"We've never waited more than 5 days before," Ken answers.

"This time we've been waiting for, what? How long has it been?"

"It's been almost three months now."

_'Three months?!'_

"But the feeling wouldn't go away. It was so intense. I just _knew_ something was happening."

Rika cautiously looks down at her hands. They are still. They are clean. Her moment of pause is not lost on them.

"So, what happened exactly?" Ken asks, apprehension in his voice.

Rika doesn't look up. She stares down at the water as it rushes against her. "Something bad."

The two Digidestined exchange a look, then return to looking at the pensive Rika. " _How_ bad?"

Rika finally looks up and looks at Ken. "We have a new enemy. It's stronger, smarter, and several steps ahead of us already." They both nod their heads, while thinking it doesn't sound so bad.

"And he just killed Takato."

Ken's eyes grow wide. Kari shifts her weight, and rubs her arm. Realization sets upon the pair as to why they've been here as long as they have been. Rika sits with this moment and thinks back. _'Takato is dead.'_ The Shadow destroyed them. They were out matched and unprepared.

_'"_ This _is my destiny."'_ That's what The Shadow had said. It spurs a thought in her mind.

"Can I ask you a question?"

Kari looks surprised. Ken nods his head automatically. She answers, "Of course."

"You two are _real_ Digidestined. So do you think that fate or destiny are real?"

Kari stares out at the ocean for a second and mulls it over. She replies, "I don't think it really matters if you're a Digidestined or a Tamer or any of them."

Rika is confused. She asks, "So am I a Digidestined or a Tamer?"

"I don't think it matters what you call it." She looks back at Rika. "As Renamon's Tamer you formed a bond with your partner that I'll never have with Gatomon."

"Nor I with Wormmon."

Anxiety rises in Rika. "So if I'm not a Digidestined, does that mean that fate doesn't exist? Does that mean that I'm not fated to defeat the Shadow?"

Kari lightly shakes her head at the redhead. Her hazel eyes mixing with Rika's lilac, she smiles warmly and tells her, "We make our own fate."

Rika blinks a few times. She turns and stares out across the ocean and asks, "We make our own fate?"

Kari keeps looking at Rika, "I think your focus is too narrow. I was a Digidestined who got separated from the others. Then all of a sudden I'm the Eighth Child."

Ken adds, "I was their enemy, until one day I wasn't."

Kari picks it up again, "Sure you could say we were destined for this, but we made the decisions to get us here. We took the actions. If you skip a rock across a pond, the ripples may be inevitable, but we make the ripples. We throw the stones. We make our own fate."

' _We make our own fate?'_

Kari stands to Rika's right and stares out at the ocean with her. Ken walks up and stands on Rika's left, all three looking out at the dark water. Ken speaks calmly, "I like to think of it as a watchmaker. It all has to start somewhere. Fate pushed you to become a Tamer, for example. But what happens once we're in motion is up to us to decide."

The tide rolls in over and over again, gently crashing endlessly against Rika's ankles. The wind blows at her back. Thunder begins rumbling above. There is almost something comforting about all of it. She thinks that she could stay here forever with these two. She knows that she can not.

Crimson red flashes in her mind. The blood on her hands. The blood on her white kimono. The pool of blood out on the field. The blood on his face. The crushing pain of it all. The emotions crash against Rika. Her right eye twitches slightly. She balls her hands into fists.

"I'm going to destroy him."

She feels a warm pressure on her left shoulder. Ken carefully places his hand on her and cautions, "If your entire plan is just to get revenge, then I suggest you dig two graves before you set out. Because the Shadow won't be the only one in the ground by the end."

All three teens sit in silence with this quote for a second before Kari offers, "Here, you'll need these for the fight ahead."

Rika turns to her right, Ken's hand falling to his side. Kari holds out two golden necklaces with tags at the end of them. "These won't be the only thing to save you, but they will be a part of it."

Rika reaches out and takes the two tags from her. They were just as she remembered them being on the show. Kari adds, "You'll get the other pieces very soon."

"Other pieces?"

Ken adds from behind her, "Ah yes. You'll get the others the same way Davis got my crest originally."

Rika turns to face him. She doesn't remember how Davis got Ken's crest, but she nods her head in confusion nonetheless.

"Rika." Kari gets her attention and she turns back around to the brown haired girl behind her. She smiles widely and appears misty eyed for a moment. She quickly closes the gap between the two and envelopes Rika in a hug again. Rika is shocked at first and isn't sure how to respond right away. Slowly, Rika closes her arms around Kari in a tight embrace. Rika herself feels her eyes get misty, although she isn't sure why.

After a few seconds, Kari releases her grip and backs away. She keeps her arms around Rika's waist and smiles proudly at her. "There, there. You're gonna get through this."

Rika blinks back tears. ' _Why am I going to cry?'_

Kari at last releases her hands from the redhead. Kari looks all around their surroundings. She looks back at the beach, she looks in the distance at the lighthouse on the hill, spinning a black light endlessly. Lastly she looks out at the dark ocean. She sniffles then takes a deep breath in before saying, "This place is a part of us."

Rika looks around now. This place has been in her nightmares. It has haunted her. It has called to her. Now that she's here, it's almost a refuge to be with these people. The beach, the wind, the sand, the water. She also stares out at the dark ocean. Kari continues, "You, me, Ken, all of us. We all go to this place eventually."

She pauses for a moment, her expression changing. Her eyes are sad, but a slight smile forms. "Takato may have not visited this place, but he's been here. Jeri may not have stood ankle deep in the ocean's waters, but she lived here for a long time."

Rika's mind flashes to Takato and Jeri. All of his pain. All of Jeri's. All of Rika's. She felt it all at once. She felt it in her heart, in her stomach, in her skin, in her very bones.

Kari keeps going, "Don't drown in the water, but don't die of thirst either. The light can destroy just as well as the dark. Don't delude yourself into thinking that light or dark are the only answers."

She finally looks back at Rika, "If all I gave you your entire life was a hammer, then everything becomes a nail. The light won't solve everything for you. Sometimes you need a different tool."

' _A different tool?'_

Rika asks, "Like what?"

The wind picks up suddenly. Thunder rumbles loudly above. Kari shakes her head but still smiles proudly at the redhead. "We have to go now, Rika. We're out of time."

Rika protests, "No! You can't leave. I need more time with you. Both of you."

Kari steps away from Rika, further into the water. She twists her head to look back at the redhead and says, "All that any of us has is the time that we have, while we have it."

Without another word or look, Kari wades out into the water. It rises quickly up to her chest.

Rika steps further in on her own, the water up to her shins. She moves further out, the water rising to her waist, then up to her chest, stopping just under her breast. "Wait!"

A dark light breaks through the skyline. It blinds her view, so Rika brings her hand up above her head to block it out. She looks through the gaps in her fingers at the black beams, which erupt from the outline.

When the light fades, Rika brings her hand down and Kari is gone. The water is perfectly still. No waves crash in the distance. She turns back and looks for Ken, but he is gone as well. She looks to the shore and no one is there. She is alone.

Rika turns back to face the horizon and a wave rises high above her head. She has no time to think. She has no time to react. She closes her eyes, and sucks in a quick breath. She scrunches her whole upper body and head to prepare for the blast. The wave crashes down upon her. She gets soaked by the water. She stands still, not being knocked over by it. She isn't swept away by it. She opens her eyes.

Standing in the front of the room, she found herself back in the classroom at the middle school. She stood there, holding in her hand two golden crests. She relaxes her body, as a black water drips off of her and onto the floor. She is wearing her blood-stained kimono again. Her hair is soaked. Her eyes are determined.

There is a loud thunder above, but the strongest lightning on Earth is inside Rika Nonaka's soul.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: I dreamed up this chapter well over a decade ago while still working on Promise and it essentially became the genesis of this story. It was Inception'd into my brain years before Inception even came out in theaters. I hope I did it justice.
> 
> This Chapter's OST is "Reasons Not To Die" by Ryn Weaver.
> 
> Love always. Rukato forever.
> 
> Notorious


	12. Heroes and Monsters

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yamaki looks at some clouds. Rika and Henry want to go home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Part of the journey is the end. Love and be loved. Read… and review!

**Heroes and Monster**

Jeri lifts her head from her lap. Through exhausted, bleary eyes she watches. Rika looks staticy and translucent, just like she did in the park that night. She watches with worried eyes as her friend steps away from them. She wants to protest but feels too weak to say anything.

_CRACK_

Out in the hallway, Yamaki hears the thunder and sees lightning flash in the windows. He walks towards the school's main entry, the one they had come in through, peering up into the night sky at the cloud formations.

Just outside the classroom, Kenta looks down into his lap on the ground. Henry and Ryo sit in silence together, unsure of what to do. None of them are aware of what is happening just a few feet away.

Jeri and Renamon watch as Rika fades slowly out of their world. Rika steps forward and suddenly she disappears in an instant. Her cell phone falls from the sky and onto the ground where she had stood just a second ago.

Yamaki recognizes the cloud shapes. He stares for long into the night. He fumbles for his phone in his pocket. ' _This can't be.'_ He pulls his phone out and quickly dials Janyu Wong.

_Ring… Ring…_

_'What do I even ask him? Where do I begin?'_

_Ring…_

_'Those systems were days, if not weeks or more away from being operational.'_

_Ring…_

Yamaki stares up at the very slow moving clouds. The familiar shape. His stress levels, already high from the attack and Takato's death, become debilitating.

_Ring…_

"Hello! You've reached the voice mailbox of: Janyu Wong. Please leave your message after the beep."

_CRACK_

Yamaki shuts the phone. He stares blankly out into space and tries to think straight. He slips his phone into his pocket and feels a lump. He pulls out his lighter.

_Flick_

_'"We will take_ everything _from you."' '"There's a storm coming, Mitsuo. You and your friends better batten down the hatches."'_

_Flick_

Yamaki remembers this feeling. The fever, the rage. The feeling of powerlessness. It had turned him before into a cruel man. He walks towards the classroom.

_Flick_

* * *

_Splash_

Appearing quicker than one of Renamon's instant teleportations, a bucket of black water pours out onto the classroom floor and in that same moment Rika reappears in the same spot.

Renamon stares in shock. Rika had only been gone for a few seconds. But here she is now, back already, sopping wet, from head to toe. She stood a second, her body tense, her head recoiled away from some invisible force. Then her whole body relaxes and appears loose. Her hand falls to her side and a glint of gold shining in the dark catches Renamon's eyes. A black and grey liquid drips from her body and drops onto the floor.

Rika looks down at her feet and feels a heat radiating off of a pair of small objects. Something whispers to her. She focuses her eyes and takes in their details. One is a golden ball topped with a single wing. The other is shaped like a golden box. She stoops down and scoops them up into her arms. From the show and the card game she knows exactly what they are. They are hot but don't burn her skin. They shine bright in the dark. She can hear the golden box whisper to her. _'Bring me to him.'_

_Flick_

Rika listens to the object. She hears the scuffle of footsteps behind her as she approaches the lifeless body on the floor. The footsteps behind come to a stop and one of the boys asks, "Rika, what the hell happened to you?"

A battered Jeri stares in disbelief as Rika carries the golden objects across the room, her back to the door, not stopping or slowing. One second she had disappeared, the next she was here, drenched, equipped with gold necklaces and trinkets. ' _Where did she go?'_

_Flick_

Yamaki stops at the door behind the trio of boys. Inside, Rika is walking towards Takato, her hair and clothes all wet and dripping onto the floor.

Renamon finally asks, "Rika, what is…"

Rika kneels down beside Takato's lifeless body. She carefully rests the Digimental of Miracles onto his chest, right on top of the wound from Reapermon. The golden box instantly lights up like a high beam. The light immediately blinds Rika, who closes her eyes and turns her face away. It grows brighter and brighter, encompassing the entire room. Renamon, Jeri, Kenta, Henry, Ryo, and Yamaki all shut their eyes. It washes the entire room in light. It penetrates the shadows around them and pours through the windows, outside the school. The fog that encompasses the school dissipates on contact.

The light glows as bright as a lighthouse, and then, suddenly, it stops. Just as quick as it had grown, it is gone. When Rika opens her eyes she watches the Digimental of Miracles shrink into something much smaller. Barely the size of a contact lense, a tiny object floats before her. Slowly it drifts towards the golden necklaces in her hands until the object slips into one of the golden tags. Rika is so focused on the object that she doesn't see the wound on his chest healed.

A voice croaks at her, "Ri-Rika?"

Hushed breaths are drawn throughout the room. The boys push each other out of the way to make their way into the room. Jeri sits up completely straight, her eyes bulging out of her head. Renamon's jaw hangs open as she looks at it. Yamaki's lighter clatters onto the floor.

Tears well up, obscuring the beauty of her lilac and white. Rika looks down at her dreamboy. She whispers to him, "Gogglehead."

Before he can say anything else a dog pile of teen boys falls onto Takato.

* * *

A few moments of disbelief and fanfare pass as the group celebrates Takato's resurrection. Tears are shed by all. Yamaki picks his lighter up off the ground, holding it in his hand but not flicking it. Kenta keeps repeating, "I can't believe this." Jeri gets up, crosses the room, gets down on the floor and holds him tight against her body. She cries harder than any of them. Takato accepts it, and squeezes her back. Yamaki can't formulate words to even say anything.

Finally Henry asks, "Rika, how did you do this?"

She calmly replies, "I didn't do it alone. I had help."

Henry can't believe anything that has happened. Ryo asks confused but excitedly, "From who?"

Rika looks down at Takato on the floor. He sits with his feet on the ground, knees up, arms resting on his kneecaps. Jeri clings to him, her head resting on his shoulder. She still hasn't said anything. Rika looks right into Takato's eyes for a second before answering, "You wouldn't believe me even if I told you."

Ryo approaches her, incredulous at her response, and replies, "Rika. Kazu just came back from the dead, killed Takato, and now HE is back from the dead. I'll believe _anything_ at this point."

Rika looks around the room. All around her are anxious eyes and ears. She returns to Takato's eyes. He nods his head subtly. A nonverbal greenlight to venture into the unknown. She clears her throat then says, "I ugh… I met Kari. Kari Kamiya. And Ken Ichijouji."

Rika stands in the middle of the room, still holding the last golden objects in her hands, unsure of what it will do, but sure it will do something. A stunned silence settles over them as her words sink in. After another moment she goes on, "They were the shadowy figures. They were the ones waiting for me. They were in the Dark Ocean World. That's, um, that's where I went. The Ocean called me there, and they were waiting for me by the water."

The group looks all around at one another for a moment. Kenta is the first to speak, "You're right Rika, I _don't_ believe you."

He doesn't say this condescendingly or to chide her. He truly can't believe the words that just came out of her mouth. None of them can. Rika doesn't mind. If she hadn't experienced it first hand, she wouldn't believe it herself.

Takato looks at her sternly and says, "I believe you."

Everyone in the room now looks at the boy who lives. He only looks at Rika as he says, "I saw Kazu."

The way he says it, the look in his eyes, Rika knows what he means. She can feel it. She knows what the others don't about his fight against The Darkness, and how he spoke to Kazu before. She understands the context that they do not.

Kenta responds, "Yes, Takato, we _all_ saw Kazu. He kind of… killed you."

Jeri holds him tighter at this last bit. He looks away from Rika and looks at his bespectacled friend. "No, not The Shadow. I saw _him._ The real him."

A reverence falls upon the room as the others take in Takato's meaning. While they each wrestle with what that means, with what Rika said, with Takato being alive at all. Rika takes a deep breath. She calms herself. She looks around the room at her friends and loved ones. A mixture of feelings befall her. Determination for the fight ahead. Conviction to end it. Sadness that she will need to leave them. Resolve to not let anyone else get hurt.

She is going to be the one. She is going to fight The Shadow. She is going to break, and burn, and end. She has to fight it. She's the only one. She wants to stay here. She wants to go home. She wants to be in the comfort of her mother's arms, or eating her grandmother's cooking. She wants to be with Takato, far away from here.

But she can't.

Renamon is the only partner here. They all need Rika to be strong.

_'I have to be the one.'_

A moment too long has gone in silence and so Rika turns to her partner. "Renamon, are you ready to go hunting for Shadows?"

Henry tries to object, "Rika!"

Renamon turns, her own determination and pride coming to life. "Absolutely."

Rika turns to leave the room and Ryo swiftly cuts her off. "Hold on, Rika. We can't just rush out there, we need the right plan."

"The RIGHT plan? When will it ever be the _right_ plan? We can't afford to keep waiting for the _right_ plan to develop. This thing could be anywhere, doing who knows what. If you didn't notice before, it slipped away right in front of Renamon."

A weak, fragile voice gets lost in the commotion, "Rika."

Henry retorts, "All the more reason _why_ we need to come up with a plan. We can't just rush out there without coming up with something first or else you'll just get killed too. And then where will we be?"

Rika never hears the voice calling her name. Rika responds, "Someone has to act. And I'm not about to sit on my hands while this thing tears our city apart." She gestures towards the city of Shinjuku.

From the ground, the brunette girl detaches from Takato and sits up. Rika keeps going, "Now Takato is alive, and we need him rested so we can kill it right this time and that starts-"

With more emphasis this time the voice pleads, "Rika."

Turning towards the source, Rika practically shouts, "What?"

A second later she realizes that she just yelled at Jeri and feels immense regret. The frail brunette recoils a bit from the vitriol directed at her. After a second though she fixes herself and looks into the violet of Rika's eyes. Everyone freezes as Jeri says, "Please don't be a hero."

Rika flashes back a moment. A quote rises to mind. _'"If your entire plan is just to get revenge-"_

"… then I suggest you dig two graves…" she whispers to herself, her eyes staring out at space. The heaviness of the quote and of what Jeri has just asked of her comes to a front.

"You suggest what?" Ryo asks from a few feet away.

Rika looks up at him, realizing that he and the others overheard her. She waves him off, shaking her head, "Nothing, it's nothing. Something Ken said to me."

"That's not going to sound normal, ever." Ryo comments on her casual name-drop of the cartoon character.

_'Don't be a hero.'_

The words bounced around in Yamaki's head. He remembers thinking a few weeks ago, ' _In real life there are no heroes. In real life, the monsters win._ ' Heroes. Monsters. Hypnos.

_'Maybe they can be the same?'_

Jeri's eyes shimmer in the pale blue light. She sits on top of her legs, on the floor next to Takato. She stares up at her friend and says, "We need you. _I_ need you."

Kenta steps forward. "We can help. You don't have to do this alone."

Ryo nods his head and adds, "We need you, but you need us too."

Henry looks at Kenta and makes eye contact, "We're stronger, together."

Kenta stares at Henry for a second as the memory comes back. Sitting in Henry's family's apartment, that summer day, talking about the book. He nods his head in acknowledgement.

Ryo quips to Rika, "This isn't like Mr. Omu's card tournament. For one, you're not playing alone. In fact, we're working together."

He smiles at this, but Rika does not share his enthusiasm. He goes on, "Pulling out a miracle card and warp digivolving into Sakuyamon isn't going to win us the game in 1 turn. And besides, there's no glory to win anyway."

He had meant for this to be a joke, lightly poking fun at her. Rika did not receive it as such. She looks at him in disgust and spits back, "You think I'm doing this for glory? I don't _want_ to fight. I want to go home," she roars. A second passes and she tacks on, "I'm not a hero."

"You're right," Yamaki jumps in. "But a hero is exactly what we need right now."

The group turns their attention to the lone adult in the room. Yamaki composes himself for a moment then dives off the deep end. "Janyu once shared with me a theory that the reason the portal appeared to you all last summer was because the Digital World needed a hero."

Before the potential weight of this idea has an opportunity to grow in their minds, Henry jumps in, "I told him that. That was my theory," he says facing Yamaki. He feels shame rise in him as he adds, "But it wasn't true. I made it up so I could convince him to let me go back to the Digital World."

"But wasn't it?" Yamaki asks, hypothetically. "The Digital World _did_ need you back then. Now we need the Digital World. We need heroes. We need help."

Henry opens his mouth to retort but stops to think about it. While others are thinking about what this means, Takato is contemplating the oddity in the room. For the first time since the Shadow sent him to an undisturbed rest, he stands up. He looks down at the golden object in Rika's hands. She doesn't look at him but he offers, "Rika, can I…"

Rika turns her attention to Takato. Understanding passes between them without any words said. She nods her head and trusts. She extends her arms out and Takato takes the Digimental of Fate into his hands.

Just like the Digimental of Miracles, the golden object immediately begins illuminating. It grows brighter and brighter, blinding everyone in the room, warming their tired bodies. The light spills out through the windows, driving back the fog, and creating space around the school. As the light dulls and fades Rika peeks through squinted eyes. Once again, a tiny crest floats between them. It slowly floats down towards the other tag that Rika holds and slips inside on its own.

Rika's eyes and a few of them follow the crest, but Takato and the others watch the palm of Takato's hand, as two slightly larger objects glow with light until suddenly the light is extinguished and they appear as two thin pieces of blue cardstock. The group of Tamers all recognizes these immediately from a time long since past.

Yamaki looks on in silence as the crowd of teenagers clamor over the pair of Blue Cards they had just drawn from thin air. He felt like he couldn't believe his own eyes at this point.

_'A pair of dead boys come back to life. Now this.'_

Miracles happening and Fate being rewritten, right in front of him.

* * *

As the group celebrates for the second time in a short order, Rika doesn't notice the golden tags in her hand start glowing as well. Once the commotion begins dying down, Henry is the one to spot it and point it out. Rika looks down at them. One glows red and one glows yellow.

As Rika focuses on them she finds the yellow one is emblazoned with a symbol similar to the yin & yang. She knows this one to be the symbol from the Digimental of Fate. The red one had a symbol of a droplet coming down on an slanted archway, with three other droplets falling from that. She recognizes it from the Digimental of Miracles.

"Jeez, I wonder who _those_ are for?" Ryo asks bitingly.

Rika throws a skeptical look his way but it doesn't last. The colors, the humming, the whispers. She knew just as well as he did. She looks at Takato but he is already staring at her. He nods his head and she hands the tag with the Crest of Miracles over. At the same time they loop the pendants over their heads. As they do, the crests both glow brighter momentarily, in their yellow and red light, but once they rest on their chests the light immediately fades.

Rika and Takato look at each other another moment after this but say nothing. Finally, Rika looks down at the items left in Takato's hand and asks, "Okay, so we've got the Blue Cards. Now the question is who's going to swipe them?"

While others may have taken time to mull it over, Ryo doesn't hesitate for a second, "I'll do it."

Ryo takes a step towards Takato, but Takato holds up his free hand up to him. "Whoa, hold on."

Ryo waves him off, putting his hands up and pushing Takato's free hand away, "It's okay. I'm ready to fight. I'm the strongest one here. Cyberdramon is the strongest base partner."

He puffs his chest up, but his pride is not whole. His voice shakes a bit. He is confident, but it is forced. Kenta steps forward as well, "If we're bringing our strongest digimon, then MarineAngemon is a Mega, we should bring him."

Ryo looks at his young card protege. There is a wildness about his eyes as he looks at Kenta. He nods his head quickly as he processes the comment. He is hell-bent on swiping the card. "Maybe we bring both of them then, yeah."

Takato takes a half step back away from both of his friends, "We need to talk about this."

"Takato, please," Ryo's voice starts to break. He mouths words but nothing comes out. His eyes are vacant as he looks around. Ryo is broken right now. He is trying to be strong, but his weakness has never been more evident. He focuses and looks into Takato's eyes and says, "You know how I feel. Th-that thing had me this summer and just… I want to do something right."

Takato consoles his friend. "I know, Ryo, but it's not about that-"

From a dark corner of the room a blue haired boy steps forward. "Being the strongest or highest level isn't going to help us. We need our original team."

Everyone stops to look at him. He looks around the room before going on, "This whole thing started with us; and now it's going to end with us. No one else will survive it."

The fragile brunette croaks out, "But how do you know you will?"

Henry looks right at her but his expression doesn't change. "We don't."

A sullen silence falls over the room. Henry continues, "But Renamon is already here and those things gave us exactly two Blue Cards."

All eyes fall on the cardstocks in Takato's hand. The gravity of this moment is lost on no one. Henry says, "It's like we're fated for this."

_'"We make our own fate.'"_

Rika thought about those words. She thought about the warm smile and the hazel eyes of her 'kindred spirit.' Kari was right, and Rika knew that Henry was too.

"Alright," she says, clearing the silence. "Takato and Henry. Swipe the cards. Bring them back. We don't have time to keep arguing about it, not while The Shadow is still out there."

Kenta again ties to intervene, "Oh yeah? And what about the rest of us? Are we supposed to just sit and watch as you all march off to die?"

_Flick_

"No. The rest of you will go with me to Hypnos."

All at once the entire group rounds on Yamaki and responds, "Hypnos?"

"That's right," he says. "Outside, right now, there's a wormhole forming in the sky. It's for Juggernaut. We've been working on rebuilding it. We knew the emergences would come and we wanted to have a failsafe if it became too much. We needed an exit strategy. Juggernaut was the thing we needed to pull the plug."

Confusion sprinkles in as the teenagers take this information in. Jeri asks plainly, "So, what's the problem then? Isn't this good news?"

_Flick_

Yamaki solemnly shakes his head. "Unfortunately it's not. We weren't ready yet. We were weeks, probably more away from it being operational."

_Flick_

All heads turn towards the windows. Jeri starts, "But now-"

"But now it's up and running. And I can't get Janyu on the phone."

_Flick_

"My Dad?" Henry asks, alarm and concern in his voice.

_Flick_

Yamaki immediately regrets bringing Janyu up, but now the cards are on the table so he has to press forward. "He was supposed to be there tonight, working on it. But he wouldn't have pressed on with _starting_ it without help or at least consulting us first."

Acceptance sets in and then determination takes over. No longer filled with self-doubt, Ryo speaks confidently, "Okay. So we go to Hypnos, while they fight the Shadow and his minions."

_Flick_

Ryo turns to Yamaki, "Is there anything we can do once we get there?"

"Well, if any of you are good with computers, maybe-"

"I am." Kenta cuts him off.

Yamaki is caught off guard and does a double take. He looks at the young boy in glasses. "You are?"

Now more self-conscious, realizing that the room is turning its attention on him, Kenta squeaks out, "Y-yeah. It's what I'm doing now, what I've been doing. Wh-why I've been so distant…"

Nodding his head in surprise, Yamaki says, "Great, we might need you then. In any case, we'll go there and see why this is happening and how we can support you from there."

Takato takes charge, "Alright, we all have our roles. Let's do this."

The group scatters and goes about their separate agendas. Yamaki comforts Jeri, Henry thinks about his father. Most bizarre though is that Kenta retrieves something from the ground and approaches Rika with it. He holds up her book bag to her. "Here I think you'll want this back."

"Oh, thanks."

Rika takes the bag from him. He adds, "I put your cards and D-Arc inside."

Rika unzips it and pulls the D-Arc. She looks at Kenta and says, "Hey, can you keep it actually? It won't be much good to me soon. But maybe you can use it for something?"

Kenta looks in surprise but shakes his head and takes the bag back. "Sure, yeah, that makes sense."

Rika remembers at least one thing that's useful, she says to him, "Hold on, wait, open up that front zipper."

Kenta does as instructed. She instructs him, "Pull that out, yep."

Kenta withdraws a screwdriver. The one Rika had found in her dresser the first time the Ocean called to her. All those weeks ago, she had been keeping it. Now she hands it over to him, "You can use that as a weapon, if things get bad there for some reason. If you need to, ya know, fight anything off."

Kenta nods his head, cautious about the idea but appreciative nonetheless. "Thank you, Rika. I hope it doesn't come to that."

He steps away without another word. Before Rika can go anywhere else though, Jeri approaches her. She is upon Rika quickly, and envelopes the redhead in an ironclad embrace. As she pulls Rika back, she lands a soft touch of her lips on Rika's cheek. Rika feels a little rush of heat and Jeri says, "Please be safe, Rika. I just-"

"I will be. I promise."

They share a moment of eye contact and then Jeri releases her and goes to be with Kenta and Yamaki.

Nearby, Ryo shakes Takato and Henry's hands. He looks them each in the eyes as he says, "I believe in you guys. Let's get it!"

Once the group is gathered, they unceremoniously make their leave. Yamaki, Kenta, Ryo, and Jeri all head out first and leave the original trio in the classroom. As they exit the school, a thought comes to Yamaki.

_'Maybe we do get to come back from it?'_

* * *

_RAWR!_

Takato, Henry, Renamon, and Rika all look at one another, and then outside. They leave the classroom, down the hallway, and rush out of the school. Out into the courtyard where the three Tamers' eyes briefly scan over the spot where Takato had lied down. Rika's eyes linger the longest, to the pool of blood on the ground.

_'Takato's blood.'_

As Rika turns her attention to the city skyline a shape comes into view. Rising above the skyscraper is a black slender tail. It snakes its way through the clouds and the thick fog blanketing the city. A figure begins to appear from within the clouds. Looming ominously out from the shadows are several pairs of eyes and a maw. Dozens of miles away, a dragon sits atop a skyscraper and looks down at three Tamers.

Rika's D-Arc springs to life and she reads, "Devidramon. Virus type. Champion level. Known as the "many eyed demon," his special attacks include Crimson Claw and a pair of paralyzing Red Eyes."

The image disappears. Neither Takato nor Henry nor Renamon say anything. All three teens continue staring out across the night at the beast waiting for them. Finally, Rika says, "Alright, boys. This isn't the kind of fight we can walk away from."

Henry looks away first and then at Rika. He says to her, "You were right before, you know that?"

Rika looks away from Devidramon now and looks at him. She gives him a confused expression. He admits, "I don't want to fight either. I want to go home."

There is a sadness about his voice. A desire to be with his father and mother and brothers and sisters. Henry never wants to fight, yet he always finds himself in one. It was a curse that he was so good at it. The two friends share a look.

Takato is the last to pull his eyes away. He stares out across the courtyard now to a puddle of crimson. He looks back at his friends, "I'm not sure how we stop The Shadow yet. But I know exactly how we stop that thing."

"Shall we?" Henry asks, a mischievousness in his eyes.

Takato smiles back. Rika hands her D-Arc over to Takato. He positions the device and the card in his hand appropriately.

"DIGI-MODIFY!"

Takato holds the card in the air and it glows. Henry swiftly takes the object from Takato and swipes his own Blue Card.

"DIGI-MODIFY!"

As soon as Henry swipes it through the card shatters. Takato's explodes in his hand as well, evaporating into particles in the atmosphere around them. Slowly the data of the cards begins to expand. It grows larger and larger until the group of four is surrounded by a floating data cloud. It is not dissimilar to the fog that has encompassed the city. It is more transparent than the fog, but there is also something different about it.

_Pat. Pat. Pat. Pat._

Suddenly, from somewhere within the cloud they hear footsteps. The group turns around and are confronted with a pair of creatures. A bipedal red dinosaur and a short rabbit-looking creature approach them.

"Guilmon?"

"Terriermon?"

They stop advancing. All around them the data clouds start to dissipate. They stare up at the humans curiously. A moment too long passes without recognition. Rika recalls Kari explaining that time moves differently now. She begins to wonder how much time has passed.

A squeaky voice from the rabbit says, "Henry, momentai!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: This Chapter's OST is "when the party's over" by Billie Eilish.
> 
> Love always. Rukato forever.
> 
> Notorious


	13. Only Together

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rika, Takato, and Henry face the wrath of the dragon

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Part of the journey is the end. Love and be loved. Read… and review!

**Only Together**

The noises are loud and inhuman. There is commotion all about as collective fanfare overtakes the moment. For the digimon, it has been a lifetime since they last saw their human counterparts. For the teenagers, it might as well have been a lifetime, considering how much has changed.

Rika and Renamon stand next to one another and take it in. It is the nature of their relationship to not indulge in such frivolity, but it also helps that Renamon's jarring return is barely a blip on the radar of "Craziest Things to Happen Lately;" and that is just for the day, let alone the last few months. Terriermon's ears plop over the back of Henry's head as the boy holds up the tiny rabbit. Takato kneels on the ground, wrapping Guilmon in his arms.

"Takatomon, I was scared I'd never see you again!"

"I know, it's a miracle!" Takato responds

Henry gives a sideways glance and sly smile on his face as he says, "There seems to be a lot of those going around lately."

Ignoring this comment, Takato gives a determined stare and looks into Guilmon's eyes, "We're going to need everything you can give, boy. Think you can do that?"

Guilmon puts a claw up to his mouth, turns his head to side and says, "Hmm, it depends. Do I get Guilmon Bread after?"

Takato, Henry, and Terriermon all share a laugh at this. Takato says, "Always thinking with your stomach. You haven't changed a bit, boy."

Terriermon, from the perch on Henry's shoulder, turns to the fox and says, "I thought we sent you with them to prevent this kind of thing? Some protection you provided!"

"Terriermon." Henry scolded.

Renamon quipped, "You don't know what we're facing."

"That's right, you don't. This isn't like before." Henry pauses for a beat before adding, "This is worse."

Exasperated, the talking rabbit persists, "How could it _possibly_ be worse?"

Henry tries to head it off, "Terriermon -"

"It killed me."

There are blank stares and blinking eyes. No one says anything for a moment. Even for Takato, this feels so odd to say, but it's the truth. Meanwhile, Terriermon briefly considers correcting Takato, that he is, in fact, alive. However, the seriousness with which he said it belies a larger point that this enemy is not to be trifled with.

After another second, Terriermon finally admits, "Okay, I guess that could be worse."

Renamon chuckles lightly and asks, "You guess, huh?"

Guilmon looks sideways at his partner and asks, "Takatomon, if you got killed, did no one absorb you?"

Exasperated, Takao sighs and says, "It's complicated, boy."

"I'll say," Henry adds.

Hopping down to the ground and stretching his arms out for a second, Terriermon says, "Alright, that's fine. We don't need all the details anyway. Renamon failed as the bodyguard, so you called in the _real_ digimon."

Renamon scoffs in response to this charge, but this doesn't stop him. He continues, "So what are we looking at here?"

The tiny rabbit stares out into the deep and dark night. Large shadows bank high above the clouds, but looming large is a black dragon, staring directly at them.

Feeling compelled to narrate the moment, Takato says, "It's a Devidramon, but," he pauses, trying to think of how to describe the phenomenon. "It's much bigger than usual. That thing is a giant."

Renamon adds, "I saw a second flying digimon as well."

The whole group turns to her, alarmed. Henry quickly asks, "You did? Are you sure?"

There is no doubt in her voice, "I'm sure."

The moon shines down upon them through the fog, providing the primary source of light to this moment. The starless sky, the fog, the darkness, the shadows, the leering dragon waiting for them. The tension mounts upon their individual shoulders, but collectively there is confidence. They are stronger, together. Terriermon turns away from Devidramon and to the group, "Alright, let's stop wasting time then and get this party started!"

The three teens all exchange eye contact for a moment, nodding their heads and then turn back to their partners.

BIOMERGE DIGIVOLUTION…

"Guilmon digivolve to…"

"Terriermon digivolve to… "

"Renamon digivolve to… "

"... Gallantmon!"

"... MegaGargomon!"

"... Sakuyamon!"

Just like riding a bike, all three children now stand as one with their reunited partners. They stand amongst each other, which felt odd for the group, since MegaGargomon was only slightly taller than the other two, rather than towering over them.

"Uhh, you okay?" Takato asks from within Gallantmon.

MegaGargomon looks themself up and down, alarmed. "What the heck? What is going on?"

"You're uh… not usually like this." Gallantmon offers.

Out of the corner of his eye, MegaGargomon catches Devidramon on the rooftop. Defeated and exasperated, Terriermon from within says to no one in particular, "He's bigger, we're smaller. Why do us rabbits always get the short end of the stick? Maybe because they put that carrot on the end."

Henry replies, "Terriermon, that doesn't even make any sense."

Terriermon quips back, "I'm having growing pains, cut me some slack!"

While trying to remain stoic and steadfast, Gallantmon as a whole couldn't help but bow their head and chuckle a bit at the exchange between partner and digimon. However, it dawns on Takato as he looks around that Rika hasn't said anything since Guilmon and Terriermon arrived. He turns his whole body to the shaman princess digimon and asks, "What is it, Sakuyamon?"

Rika Nonaka is brooding. The moment is not too large for her. The gravity is not lost on her. The last few hours swish through her mind, back and forth. She turns to her friends, somber, and says, "Our enemy doesn't tire, it doesn't stop, it doesn't feel. It can disappear into the shadows, already showed it can kill us, and now they've brought out an extra large Devidramon, and probably more."

She turns away from them and looks up at the Devidramon waiting for them. It looks away, into the night, and opens it maw to let out an ear piercing screech

_RAWR!_

"Every step of the way against them has been part of a larger trap that they deployed for us. They calculated our moves and planned accordingly."

MegaGargomon doesn't miss a beat, "Yes, but now we've got our own surprise."

Sakuyamon looks at him oddly. He smiles, "They don't know we're coming."

Gallantmon puffs up his chest and says, "And they believe I'm dead."

This time it's Sakuyamon who doesn't miss a beat, "You _were_ dead."

MegaGargomon quips, "And now he's back!"

Rika increasingly feels like she's talking to a brick wall, layered not with cement, but with optimism. Resigned, she says, "I just think we need to be careful."

After letting this sink in for a second and considering it, Takato tells them, "She's right."

Both mega digimon turn to Gallantmon. He goes on, "When I fought The Darkness at the peak of Mount Sakuya, he told me that 'the memory of our loved ones can become a poison in our veins.' I had never really known what that meant until tonight. Not really anyway."

He looks down at the ground a moment and pauses. "Seeing Kazu again, for the first time… it _was_ a poison in my veins, strangling the grief. We _do_ need to be careful."

Something rose up through Henry. Perhaps it was being one with Terriermon. Perhaps it was his courage coming up after all this time. The seriousness of the moment calls for something equally serious. He realizes the importance of being careful and working together and not letting the shadows break them. He turns to his friends and says, "And we will be. We can do this together, but we can _only_ do this together."

Gallantmon raises his head, turns from one friend to the other, "Only together?"

Sakuyamon looks up at her friends, then up at the dragon waiting in the distance. Summoning all of her strength she echoes, "Only together."

Dramatically they rise up off the ground. A silence settles upon them, the grim reality of their situation crashing down. They're in for the battle of their lives and -

"Ugh, guys?"

Henry and Rika turn on spot to see Gallantmon still standing on the pavement, looking up at them, arms at his side, pleading for assistance. MegaGargomon says, "Ah. Well."

Sakuyamon shakes her head. Rika telepaths to her partner, _'Bare with me, Renamon.'_

Sakuyamon floats back down and in one fluid motion sweeps Gallantmon off his feet and into her arms. She holds his legs in her right arms and his back in her left arms. He wraps his arms around her neck and they begin floating up into the air.

"Thanks for the _lift,_ Rika." Takato puns.

Sakuyamon shakes her head and replies, "Stupid Gogglehead."

* * *

Two figures approach through the air, which is bad enough. What makes it worse is being fairly certain there is a third figure included. This is not getting easier.

_'Master said there would be one and that she would be difficult alone. Now there are two or more coming for us.'_

_CRACK_

Devidramon looks over their shoulder briefly and signals to the shadows just as the team arrives. The Tamers reach within shouting distance of Devidramon. Hundreds of feet in the air, the view of the street below is blocked by the fog. Devidramon's fears are confirmed; somehow there are three digimon combatants.

MegaGargomon turns to the couple floating next to him. "So, anyone want first dibs?"

The Tamers look at one another, but no one responds. Slowly above them the sky twists and warps into a wormhole.

_CRACK_

MegaGargomon cracks his knuckles against his hand, "Great, then he's all mine."

MegaGargomon swiftly moves towards Devidramon but from somewhere nearby he hears something snake forward. He is caught in no man's land; turning back now would give Devidramon an advantage, but going forward will abandon the others.

_CRACK_

"ULTIMATE ATTACK!"

Directly above them the attack screeches through the air. A metal head flies towards them, with sharp claws pointed directly at Sakuyamon and Gallantmon.

"ARGH!" Gallantmon shouts.

He launches himself forward and holds up Aegis. Flying in like a rocket, dual claws first, the monster's attack ricochets off of the shield, and the two digimon go tumbling downward.

Sakuyamon looks down and watches as Gallantmon tangles with another dragon. They spin and then she watches Gallantmon kick out. The monster turns to flee and escape into the clouds for coverage. Just as he's about to get away, Gallantmon grabs hold of his tail and his whole body jolts as he is tugged along.

Sakuyamon observes the situation. MegaGargomon turns for a moment to look back and sees her alone. Rika considers her options, but determines that Gallantmon is the priority since he can't fly on his own. She strains her eyes to look through the dark night and dense fog so she can give chase.

_CRACK_

Lightning strikes through the clouds and for a moment, Rika sees it. Barreling down towards her through the fog is the open maw of a giant beast. In the brief moment of illumination, Rika sees the crimson snout and violet eyes of a dragon rushing towards her from the dark, about to consume her. Sakuyamon freezes on the spot. It's mouth opens and comes down towards her.

She instinctively reacts. A storm of wild cherry blossoms are summoned, flying at the beast from behind her. The blossoms temporarily blind it and Sakuyamon dodges the attack by rolling away from it's path at the last second.

"Whoa!" She screams, narrowly avoiding him.

Sakuyamon watches as the towering dragon flies past her. It flies towards more skyscrapers and Rika is sure it will crash into them when it banks at the last second and narrowly avoids demolishing the entire thing.

_'I can't let him destroy the city, I need to get him out of here.'_

As the beast rears back to look at her she recognizes it at last. The maniac dragon itself, Megidramon looks across the sky at his prey. Sakuyamon behind moving away from the city, towards open fields and shouts, "Hey boy, you want a piece of me? Well come and get it!"

* * *

Whipping helplessly through the air like a ragdoll, Gallantmon holds on tight to the tail of a dragon. Through bleary eyes he watches as it ascends higher and higher. Suddenly, he sees the beast level off, so just before the tail can level off he lets go. He slingshots high up into the air.

Quickly Gallantmon turns in the air and looks for his enemy, because he can't afford to wait. At his peak he takes in the sight of his opponent and recognizes it at once as Megadramon, the ultimate level dragon with cannon claws for arms, red body and blue wings.

Megadramon turns to find Takato, but he's too slow. Gallantmon brings his body in tight, including his shield, and angles his body towards the enemy. He becomes a missile, headed right for the cyborg dragon. This has the added benefit of making him more compact, and thus harder to see in the dark.

Megadramon looks all about for the white knight, knowing he had been riding his tail, but sees nothing. His purple eyes scan the poorly lit sky, unable to find him. Almost too late, he spots Gallantmon flying right at him! He opens the cannons on his claws and shouts, "DARK SIDE ATTACK!"

Numerous organic missiles fly out and aim for Gallantmon. The partners hold up Aegis, which takes the full blast of the closest missiles, creating a chain reaction that blows all the other ones. Smoke instantly bursts forward, as the attack explodes on impact with the superior shield. The large area of explosion creates an additional hazard to fighting in this environment, making it nearly impossible to see anything.

Shooting forward from the cloud of smoke, Gallantmon leads with his fist and strikes Megadramon in the face! As Gallantmon goes past him, falling through the sky, he turns and forms Gram in his arm. He points the lance at the flying, mechanized dragon and shouts, "LIGHTNING JOUST!"

The bolt of lightning flies upwards towards the monster, but with a twist of his body, Megadramon perfectly dodges the attack! He looks down at the knight, smiling. As Gallantmon falls through the clouds and fog, Megadramon disappears from view. Takato hears a scream from the distance as he falls towards the city below.

* * *

MegaGargomon cracks his knuckles against his hand, "Great, then he's all mine."

MegaGargomon swiftly moves towards Devidramon but from somewhere nearby he hears something snake forward. He is caught in no man's land; turning back now would give Devidramon an advantage, but going forward will abandon the others.

_CRACK_

"ULTIMATE ATTACK!"

"ARGH!"

He hears shouts from behind him. He stops and looks back, but only finds Sakuyamon. She looks down below her and then back at him

_CRACK_

Lightning strikes again. Another second later, Sakuyamon releases a flurry of cherry blossoms before spinning away from another digimon attacking her!

"Whoa!"

_'Only together!'_

Henry preparas to regroup, to rush back to her side and find Gallantmon. They had agreed to fight together. Just as he fully turns towards her though he senses something. He looks over his shoulder but it's too late.

"Oof!"

Devidramon collides into MegaGargomon and they go plummeting downward. They tumble through the fog and sky for a second before MegaGargomon tosses the dragon off of him. The dragon is huge, probably the size that MegaGargomon should be, and it lazily floats down, glaring at him.

Suddenly both stop and stare at each other. They are in a clearing a few hundred feet up from the city streets. MegaGargomon narrows his eyes and says, "I'm not some kind of bunny fodder. It's gonna take a lot more than that to get me."

Suddenly the fog descends upon them. It drops from above and rises from below. Both of them are completely encompassed by it, as Devidramon quickly disappears from view. MegaGargomon looks back at the dragon, and slowly it's purple eyes change to a shade of red. MegaGargomon doesn't even realize that all he can see is the red of the dragon's eyes.

Henry expects an attack and goes to brace for the fight. But he can not. Staring at the red eyes, he felt sluggish. He felt weak. He couldn't move his arms, he could move his legs. He was immobilized staring at the eyes. Slowly the red eyes moved forward. Through the fog they came towards him. MegaGargomon could not avoid them, could not look away. The red eyes grew larger and larger.

"CRIMSON CLAW!"

* * *

Sakuyamon flies away from the city, inwards towards the Shinjuku Central Park. She peers over her shoulder and sees Megidramon snaking it's way towards her through the sky. She faces forward and is almost upon the park. She looks back again to ensure it's still following her away from the city. She looks forward and flies over the outskirts of the wooded area.

Further in she goes, her confidence growing with each passing tree. Suddenly she stops and spins in place. Megidramon closes the gap between them. Once again, she summons the cherry blossoms and they fly forward, blinding the beast. Sakuyamon again spins away to dodge.

_THUD_

Megidramon expected this! He barrels to his left and crashes into Sakuyamon! Blinded and falling, nonetheless he smashes his target head first and she goes soaring back.

Feeling her momentum carrying her to the ground, Sakuyamon throws on the brakes and brings herself to a halt. She gets her bearings and looks around. Megidramon, unable to see or stop himself, crashes into the park on the ground. Rika is quietly grateful to have led him away from any potential civilian casualties, but her work is not done. She raises her staff up and yells, "Spirit Strike!"

Four mystical foxes escape from her belt and move to attack the giant dragon. They swiftly wrap around it's tail, lower body, upper body and wings, and finally around its neck. Megidramon realizes what has happened and begins thrashing against the bindings. He rolls onto his back, then shoots upward to face her.

_RAWR!_

He roars in her face. Sakuyamon will not have this, "Twin Blades of Beauty and Truth!"

She swings her staff and two rings extend out to attack the dragon. He falls straight back and crashes into the open field again. Sakuyamon flies upwards and looks down at him. Megidramon lets out a groan, but only barely. He is defeated.

Sakuyamon floats down to its side, staff extended, pointed for the head, ready to attack. The dragon is silent. No breath escapes its body.

_'Did it… die?'_

Sakuyamon stands next to its ear and stares at it. Slowly she relaxes and her staff lowers. She breathes a sigh of relief and looks up at the full moon, shining down upon her. A moment of clarity, and ease, amidst the storm. The eye of the hurricane.

Rika can only think about death.

_'Is this dragon dead? Can digimon die without being deleted? Do they get deleted in our world still, after the D-Reaper? Or do they die like any man?'_

Carefully an eye opens and scans its surroundings. It takes in its prey for a brief moment. Suddenly Megidramon rolls his head and unleashes hellfire upon the shaman digimon.

* * *

Gallantmon floats down through the air, having deployed his cape as a make-shift parachute. He comes to a stop on the pavement, landing gingerly in an empty intersection. He takes in his surroundings for a moment but immediately the fog rolls in closer and closer around him. It's almost as if it was trying to subdue him. He places his cape back on his shoulders and then summons Aegis and Gram back into his arms.

_Slither_

He swings around cautiously as he hears Megadramon getting closer. From the shadows a voice whispers to him, "How do you live, Tamer?"

Takato braces for the fight, looking from side to side, cautiously and slowly turning in a circle. He shouts back, "Let's just call it a miracle."

_Slither_

The monster gets closer. The fog closes in tighter, limiting visibility, attempting to suffocate Gallantmon. The dragon whispers to him, "You do not have the strength, Tamer."

Takato draws Aegis in and readies Gram, "I've got more than enough strength to kill you."

"You can not kill…"

_Slither_

"... what you can not SEE!"

From out of the shadows, Megadramon strikes! He launches forward at a high speed and screams, "ULTIMATE ATTACK!"

Gallantmon never stands a chance. Magadramon digs his claws into Gallantmon's right shoulder, pushes him to the ground, drags him along the road, then let's go of him and flies up into the air. Megadramon smashes into a skyscraper on his way back into the shadows.

The dragon disappears into the fog as glass shatters and rains down upon Gallantmon, flat on his back, pushed into the concrete.

"AHHHH!"

People are screaming, although he can't see them, he knows it to be true. The people are scared. They are afraid. He sees a fire growing in the building. He can not do anything to help the building, he can only slay the dragon. Only then will they be free of the menace. The fire catches, it grows and spreads, in the building and within Takato.

With great effort, he stands up, his shoulder seething in pain. He releases Aegis and allows the shield to roll on the ground. He grips Gram with his left hand. He knows he won't _see_ his enemy coming. So he listens instead. He closes his eyes.

There is quiet, for just a moment.

_Slither_

"Master will be most proud to learn that I did what he could not," the fog whispers to him. "That I killed the famous Boy of Light."

Gallantmon stills. He focuses. Behind him he hears the air swishing. "You'll get the chance to tell him yourself," he replies.

_Slither_

"When I bring him your HEAD!"

Gallantmon swiftly spins around and dodges the attack from Megadramon. With tremendous pain, he thrusts Gram up and sticks it into the side of Megadramon's neck.

The beast collapses into a heap quickly and gasps for air. Gallantmon huffs for air himself. He steps towards the dragon, barely hanging on to life, and looks into his violet eyes. Megadramon looks at the Boy of Light, and with hushed breath utters, "You… can not… kill… a shadow."

The dragon's purple eyes roll into the back of its head and then it's entire body dissolves into a cloud of nothing. It disappears just like that. Like a puff of smoke, he is gone.

Gallantmon looks around, vexed. _'What just happened? Where did he go? Is he going to reappear any second now out of the fog and strike again?'_ These thoughts and many more race through Takato's head.

That's when the night sky became illuminated by a blazing inferno in the distance. Gallantmon doesn't know what it is or who, but it can't be good. He rushes off to chase the flames.

* * *

"CRIMSON CLAW!"

Out from the fog two black claws reach out and cut into MegaGargomon's armor. They burn red before pulling and ripping into him.

"AHHHH!"

MegaGargomon lets out a screech as the pain rips him. He regains control of his body. He twists his upper body, brings his elbows up, balls his hands together, then swings them down and through the claws. The claws break free, but the scratches are deep.

Devidramon shoves him backwards, then turns to make his escape. He tries to disappear into the fog, but MegaGargomon recovers quickly. He bounds forward and grabs the dragon by the tail. He pulls the digimon back, grabs one his arms, then whips him around towards MegaGargomon.

He kicks the beast in the right side, breaking it's arm with the force of the blow. As it staggers into a skyscraper, he punches the dragon in the face. Devidramon instantly becomes disoriented, and his head recoils, smashing again into the building. They begin involuntarily floating down to the street below.

MegaGargomon grabs the dragon by his broken arm, sending painful shockwaves into the monster. He yanks the beast down and they descend to the street below quickly. He tosses the ragged body onto the ground, and the dragon lays beaten.

MegaGargomon leans down and puts his knee into the small of Devidramon's back. Grabbing the left arm, pulling it back with both of his hands. He jolts it and the arm snaps, Devidramon lets out a screech.

"AHHH!"

MegaGargomon let's the broken arm fall to the ground. Then, with his right hand he grabs the back of Devidramon's head. Henry leans and whispers into the dragon's ear, "The last time we fought The Darkness, I was a hostage. That wasn't much fun for me. But this?"

MegaGargomon's gauntlet opens up, revealing a minigun. He drives the gun further into the back of the dragon's skull, prepared to blast it into oblivion. He lets out a little chuckle.

"Hehe… this does put a smile on my face."

Broken and beaten, Devidramon nonetheless struggles under the weight. Then, he calms and does not move. He is at peace. MegaGargomon expected more of a fight. He looks down at the monster, agitated, and asks, "Well, any last words?"

Struggling for air, Devidramon answers, "Everything… happens… for… a reason."

With those last words he fades into nothing. Bouts of smoke puff upwards and MegaGargomon's knee falls to the ground, as well as the rest of his body. He stands up without haste and looks all around him. The dragon is gone.

_'Where did he go? How did he do that?'_

Before he can explore it any further, a blast of fire erupts in the distance. MegaGargomon takes a curious look around him. Seeing no trace of his opponent, he rushes towards the disturbance.

* * *

Carefully an eye opens and scans its surroundings. It takes in its prey for a brief moment. Suddenly Megidramon rolls his head and unleashes hellfire upon the shaman digimon.

While Rika had brooded over death, Sakuyamon had stood prepared. On reflex, she sticks her staff out in front of her and shouts, "Crystal Sphere!"

Instantly she becomes encased in a pink barrier of energy. The fire is burning into her, completely overwhelming her, but she is not damaged. She thinks about what her next move should be, how to handle the fire breathing dragon, and which of her attacks would be best for this situation. She is thinking about this when she hears someone scream.

"RIKA!"

On her peripheral she sees Gallantmon appear and launch himself through the air at Megidramon.

"WE'RE COMING!"

She looks to her other side and sees MegaGargomon flying towards them as well.

"No! Don't engage!" She yells, but it's too late.

The fire stops as Megidramon stops trying to burn her barrier. He twists with inhuman speed suddenly towards Gallantmon and grabs him out of the air. Pinning him into the ground, Megidramon dives head first and tries to chomp Gallantmon's head off.

Gallantmon lifts both arms up and blocks the attack. He holds his snout with one hand, and his jaw with the other. Drool drips down onto him and burns Gallantmon's armor. A bit of it seeps into the cuts from Megadramon earlier and his arm shakes at the pain, threatening to collapse his hold on the snout.

Takato briefly flashes back to over a year ago, when he remembers seeing Beelzemon in this same exact position. He had wished death on his enemy that day, and now death came for him.

"NO!"

MegaGargomon flies at the massive dragon, but gets blindsided. Megidramon tailwhips him into the ground, burying it's razor-sharp dagger-end tail into his chest. This gashed into the claw marks from Devidramon earlier. Henry loses his breath for a second before grabbing the tail with both hands. He tries to pull it out, but the tail seems to sink deeper.

Sakuyamon, unfettered by the dragon, pulls her staff inward. She quickly devises her best move and shouts, "Enough! Fox Card!"

She throws a talisman at the giant monster and it immediately shrinks away from both of the other Mega digimon. It's energy is sapped immediately and it withdraws away from the trio.

Gallantmon and MegaGargomon both stand up, but the pain permeates through them. They are useless for what must come next. Sakuyamon floats towards Megidramon. When she is close enough, she places the bottom of her staff onto the ground. An area of light begins to spread out from it's placement, reaching for Megidramon.

"A simple trick that will take your powers away, for a moment at least," she says, staring down the purple of its eyes. "Long enough, anyway."

The dragon is wounded and stares at the girl. It smiles and the shadows and fog envelop it until only its violet eyes remain. Then, slowly, they too disappear.

Sakuyamon lifts her staff off the ground and spins it. She searches for the monster and braces for a surprise attack. Her fellow team members approach. MegaGargomon speaks first, "So much for 'Only Together.'"

Gallantmon shakes his head, nursing his injuries, and says, "It was their only shot. Split us up and try to take us each on one-versus-one. But we did it together anyway."

Sakuyamon is still on edge and asks, "Where did he go? What just happened?"

Gallantmon and MegaGargomon come to stop beside her. The pain comes and goes, sometimes worse than others. They shake their heads. MegaGargomon says, "Devidramon just disappeared from underneath me."

"I stabbed Megadramon in the neck and he did the same thing. Vanished, just like Megidramon just did."

Takato and Henry continue rubbing the pain on their body. Rika had avoided any damage at all by fighting defensively and subduing her opponent. They all stare up at the moon for a moment. It was luminous in the starless sky. They stood, mostly damaged but victorious.

Takato breaks the silence and asks, "Where do we go now?"

Without hesitation and with absolute confidence, Rika replies, "We go after The Shadow."

"Right, but he could be anywhere."

"No. Not anywhere," Henry replies. Surprised, the other Tamers turn to him. He stares up at the moon, "He may have Kazu's body, he may call himself The Shadow, but deep down he's still The Darkness."

There is sound logic in this. Neither one disagrees. Both wait for him to continue. "Takato," he turns to his friend, "where would you go? To make your grand last stand?"

Gallantmon looks at MegaGargomon. He turns to Sakuyamon. At last he turns to the sky. He thinks for a moment. Then, a place rises to mind. Somewhere that's emotionally more important than any other.

"The pond."

"Which pond?" Henry asks.

"Our pond." Rika replies.

She reaches her hand out and Gallantmon takes it. She pulls him into her arms and flies into the air, MegaGargomon right behind them.

They are not far. She had led Megidramon to the park to get him away from people, and it has brought her closer than ever to her enemy. As they fly through the air though, Rika's mind races further ahead. She remembers now. The nightmares from two nights ago. She wondered if it had been a premonition? She had seen Takato's dead body, just as in the dream. She had faced down the crimson dragon. She had gone to the Dark Ocean and finally stood in its water, with a wave crashing down upon her. Now, as she carries Takato in her arms, she remembers another piece of the dream. On the edge of the water, of their pond, a boy stood waiting for her. It had not been Takato. It had been Kazu.

_'What else from those dreams will be real?'_

Rika can only think about death. Kazu. Leomon. Renamon, for a time anyway. Takato, for a time anyway. Her father. She has lost so much. For others all that death may have defeated them. It may have crushed them under the weight of the pain. But not Rika. Rika Nonaka is a survivor.

 _'I did not come this far to only come_ this _far.'_

Sakuyamon slowly begins floating downward. As they descend the scene unfolds. It is dark out, the middle of the night, but she recognizes it. They float down towards the isolated pond hidden in the Shinjuku Central Park. This is her and Takato's secret spot. Some of her fondest memories of their love live here. Her eyes focus and she sees someone standing on the rocks, facing the pond.

Rika sees her shadow in the moonlight sweep over the young boy standing on the edge of the water.

He did not move, but stayed put, patiently awaiting their arrival.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: I shrunk MegaGargomon for logistical purposes. Blocking and such for this and future chapters. This chapter's OST is "Let Me Sign" by Robert Pattinson.
> 
> Love always. Rukato forever.
> 
> Notorious


	14. Bury Us Deep

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Tamers float like autumn leaves. Yamaki finds a friend. Kenta finds a different tool.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Part of the journey is the end. Love and be loved. Read… and review!

**Bury Us Deep**

Fog is everywhere but spread across the pond it is clear. He trusts his apostles to do his work, but knows that there may be other forces at play, and to not underestimate the girl. Renamon's presence with the children had complicated matters and set him back. But now he stood, on the precipices of victory. Now he stood, on the rocks of the pond, staring up at the luminous moon.

Over time, he learns the fate of his soldiers. He hears explosions in the distance. People are screaming, although he can't hear them, he knows it to be true. The people are scared. They are afraid to obey. Slowly the sounds stop. He feels the power return to him. He stares out at the water when all of a sudden a shadow sweeps over him in the soft glow of the moonlight.

He speaks to the secret spot, "You could not live with your own failure."

He lowers his head in reverence. He shakes it in disappointment.

"And where did that bring you?"

His head rises. His body twists. He turns to see a figure clad in yellow armor approaching.

"Back to me."

Sakuyamon floats down towards him, flanked by MegaGargomon, and carrying Gallantmon. The Shadow's eyes deceive him. The white knight himself lives again. Even the giant rabbit is here. Softly, Sakuyamon touches down on the ground. She drops Gallantmon to his feet.

Kazu mutters to the trio, "Impossible."

Gallantmon is damaged, but he stands proud beside Sakuyamon. MegaGargomon lands beside them as well. All three glare out at the enemy.

Takato speaks, "Can't snuff my light out that easily."

Beleaguered, Kazu asks, "You've come back to die with your city?"

Henry answers, "We've come to destroy you."

Kazu shakes his head, "I don't understand? Each of you wants this."

Takato replies, "The only thing we want is to banish you."

Kazu turns and faces Gallantmon now, "You _want_ to die. You welcome it even."

Rika steps forward, towards The Shadow, towards the water. "You tried to kill us," she calls to him. He turns his attention to her. She does not waver, "But you didn't bury us deep enough. And now we've come back, and we've come for you."

Agitated, Kazu answers, "You are all plagued by the ghosts in your closets. You can't stand to face them. I am offering you release from the darkness poisoning your hearts," he says, spreading his arms out wide. "Accepting yourselves for who you really are. No absolute light, no absolute dark."

Sakuyamon shakes her head. Gallantmon begins stepping away from her, over to her right. MegaGargomon does the same on her left. She replies, "We'll get to that day all on our own."

Disappointed, The Shadow hangs his head, "I gave you mercy. A chance to be free of this life, just as I offer to all of this world, and to be with your loved ones for eternity. To be with Kazu." He raises his eyes to meet with Sakuyamon's. He sees the other Tamers on his flanks. The fog grows closer, "Here in the forest, dark and deep, I offer you eternal sleep."

The Tamers do not reply. Gallantmon's feet dig into the ground, holding Aegis in front, Gram at the ready. MegaGargomon assumes a fighting stance. Sakuyamon idly twirls her staff. Kazu frowns, "My mercy was… a miscalculation. But I am glad. I know now what I must do."

Slowly, his right arm shutters like rain in a puddle with a black energy, and it transforms into the scythe that pierced Takato. Rika isn't sure if blood still drips from it or if it's dried on the blade now.

"I will shroud this city in darkness. Cast every last man, woman, and child into the shadows. So that none of them have to be alone anymore."

Sakuyamon stops twirling her staff. Kazu's other arm transforms into a claw with a cannon attached.

"And then, when you finally understand the depth of your failure, we will fulfill The Darkness' destiny."

Slowly his legs grow dark and shutter, transforming first, then his waist, and then his chest. The mechanized armor spread all across him.

"When the people are free, and this city is in ashes… then I will liberate each of you."

His head is the last to change, as Kazu's face disappears and is replaced instead with the pale yellow cyborg skull of Reapermon. He hulks above all of them.

"Cleanse you of your pain until you know not what you lost, but only your world as it can be. A world of peace."

"Born out of death." Rika tightens her grip around her staff.

"Aye. A world free of suffering. Where even a Tamer obeys."

_'A digimon is no slave.'_ And Rika charged.

"MEGA BARRAGE!"

"LIGHTNING JOUST!"

The two blasts take off from opposite sides and Sakuyamon closes the gap between them to fight him head on. With dizzying speed, Reapermon moves forward and the two attacks collide with one another in the air. A massive explosion sends a large splash of water into the air. Reapermon launches himself into the air, towards Sakuyamon, his huge scythe positioned in the air to attack.

Sakuyamon doesn't like the situation and instead of stopping, she keeps moving forward. She rolls on the ground underneath Reapermon. As a result he badly overshoots her, landing on his feet, turning his head to look back at the shaman.

"Fox Card!"

"Lightning Joust!"

Rika tosses the card forward at him, hopping to subdue him and sap him of his energy. The window to escape both attacks is miniscule, yet somehow he does! He dodges forward, away from the lightning, then rolls on the ground to his left, and the card barely misses him.

On his left, MegaGargomon opens the minigun on his gauntlets, aims square on, and begins firing. A few shots hit Reapermon, but don't really do anything. Without even looking he raises his left claw up and out of the mounted cannon a grapple shoots out! The shot nails MegaGargomon in his right shoulder and sticks deep into the armor.

"Ahhh!"

Reapermon retracts a part of the chain and MegaGargomon is pulled forward, down onto his knees. He screams again in pain.

"Ahh! Ahh! Stop!"

Reapermon keeps staring at Sakuyamon, never once even looking at his prey. He yanks the chain hard across his body. MegaGargomon is dragged on the ground and rockets at his compatriots. Sakuyamon is too close and right in the line of fire, she never has a chance. MegaGargomon's body crashes into her and they go tumbling away. They roll away from the water, back towards the woods.

"Ugh," MegaGargomon groans as they come to a stop.

Sakuyamon rolls around and looks back at the arena, where Gallantmon and Reapermon stand about twenty yards apart. She tries to get up, pushing MegaGargomon off of her.

Reapermon's grapple returns to its cannon on his arm. He and Gallantmon stare at one another, Takato slowly stepping in a semi-circle. Amused, Reapermon mimics the moves, until Gallantmon has his back to his friends and can block Reapermon from attacking them. Reapermon smiles devilishly and leers at Takato. Gallantmon holds shield and lance ready to attack. A moment passes and neither advances before finally Gallantmon shouts, "SHIELD OF THE -"

"GRIM SLASHER!"

The grapple shoots forward and pierces Aegis! Gallantmon eyes the blade protruding through his shield for a second. He looks back up and into the vacant eyes of Reapermon. Almost as if waiting for the eye contact, Reapermon smiles at him before the grapple chain quickly pulls Gallantmon off of his feet.

Gallantmon falls to the ground and is dragged forward. Gram leaves his grip and rolls away. He tries to hold onto Aegis at first but as he gets closer to Reapermon, he finally releases and the shield flies at Reapermon.

_Swip!_

Reapermon slashes his scythe through the air. Aegis splits clean in half! The shield splits apart and both sides go bouncing off in different directions.

_'That could've been Takato,'_ Rika thinks from her hands and knees.

Gallantmon lays with his stomach flat against the ground, a few feet away. He pushes up off the ground and stands on his knees, kneeling for a moment. In the blink of an eye, Reapermon is upon him. He stands over the knight and looks down at his enemy.

_'NO!'_ Rika sees the Shadow standing over Takato and she scrambles to her feet.

Reapermon looks down. Lazily he places his scythe on Gallantmon's shoulder, the blade propped against his neck. He narrows his eyes down at the 'Boy of Light.' He shakes his head and says, "I thought you would be the last to die. I wanted you to see them suffer."

In the background, Reapermon notices the warrior in yellow getting up in a hurry.

"Maybe you still can," he chuckles to himself.

He drops the scythe off of Gallantmon's neck and props it against his chest instead. It lines up on Takato's left side. Reapermon lowers the claw on his left hand and grips Gallantmon's entire head with it. He begins squeezing to crush his head and at the same time he pushes the scythe into the armor, carefully carving him open. Gallantmon's screams are muffled by the claw crushing his head.

"SPIRIT STRIKE!"

Sakuyamon unleashes four mystical foxes at her enemy as she bounds forward at him. Reapermon releases Gallantmon's head, and pulls the scythe out from it's shallow wedge. He kicks Gallantmon backwards, jumps back, and then with swiftness his scythe flies all about.

_Swip! Swip! Swip! Swip!_

Just like that, he slices through all four foxes and they disintegrate into nothing. Before he can have a chance to celebrate, Sakuyamon is upon him! She flies down at him, leading with her staff, screaming, "LEAVE HIM ALONE!"

Sakuyamon brings her staff down upon him. Reapermon uses his left forearm to block the first blow, then the next. She tries to change angles and he blocks it again. She whacks and whacks at him, but he blocks every blow. Rika is seeing red. She keeps trying to break him with her staff. She is too consumed by her rage to realize she is getting exhausted. Finally, she tries to bring her staff down but something stops her momentum.

_Clutch_

Reapermon's claw now holds her staff in place. He has caught it out of the air. Her eyes dart from his hand to her staff to his face. He glares at her before quickly twisting the staff and, by extension, her arms. Only her right arm follows, but he twists it so suddenly and violently that the bone snaps like a twig.

"Ah! Ahhh!" She screams in agony.

Reapermon pulls Sakuyamon's staff away from her, then whips it back at her. He smacks her across the face with her own weapon, and her head goes flying back. She spins and falls to the ground. She tries to land on all fours, but her arm is broken so her head tumbles to the ground while her left arm tries to hold up her weight.

Her vision is blurred and she sees stars. She briefly feels like she's on a rollercoaster because her head swims around so violently. There is a ringing in her ears. She is disoriented and doesn't realize it yet, but she has been concussed by the force of the blow.

_Whack! Whack!_

"AHHH!"

Reapermon hits Sakuyamon twice more on the back with her own staff and she screams. She's already face-down in the ground and now the pain in her back pushes her further towards the dirt. He lifts his leg back and brings it forward.

_THUD_

Rika collapses onto her side, wheezing for breath, head spinning. Another second later and she hears the clatter of her staff hitting the ground. It bounces on the dirt and pebbles nearby for a moment before stopping. She cracks an eye open and looks at it.

"Is that all the Digimon Queen has to offer?" Reapermon spits on her.

From the shadows a voice yells, "GARGO MISSILES!"

A volley of firepower soars through the night and hits square on the target. A huge cloud of smoke puffs up where Reapermon had just stood. Gallantmon stirs and looks wearily at the site of the explosion. He can't move without pain searing his chest, his head just by the edge of the water. Sakuyamon pushes herself up, and reaches out for her staff. She sits up on her knees and looks on hopefully. The smoke dissipates.

"No," Rika whispers into the night.

The moon beams down upon the pale yellow armor. Completely unphased, not a scratch on him, unmoved, right where he had been. Reapermon relaxes his body and looks up. He points his grapple cannon at MegaGargomon.

"Grim Slasher!"

The grapple shoots across the night and lodges directly into MegaGargomon's chest, right where Devidramon had cut him earlier. A second later, the grapple retracts and MegaGargomon is pulled forward.

Sakuyamon had seen what happened to Gallantmon's shield. She saw the next moments unfolding. She could not allow it. Even in her concussed state, completely lost and unable to think straight, she must act. She launches herself upwards with her staff in her left hand. She moves towards Reapermon from behind while MegaGargomon is pulled forward from the front. He rears his scythe back to slice his opponent apart. Sakuyamon throws her arm up from behind Reapermon just as he brings the scythe down.

_CLANG_

_crack!_

Her staff absorbs the burst of momentum, holding it back and preventing him from killing MegaGargomon. Her staff is not strong enough though, as it cracks and splinters. There is a brief moment, as Reapermon looks behind him and Sakuyamon looks ahead. Their eyes lock and life meets death.

MegaGargomon's body bounces twice and then dumps into the pond. Reapermon turns to face Sakuyamon. Unable to fight as normal, Sakuyamon spins around and bends down to sweep the legs out from under him. Seeing the move unfold well ahead of time, Reapermon hops over her legs. When he lands he forcibly swings his scythe at her, which she narrowly dodges, but she dodges right into a punch to face!

Already obliterated from the prior strikes to the face, Rika steps back. Within Sakuyamon she feels her nose bloody. Even with the pitch dark of night, everything is bright and her eyes strain. Reapermon does not relent, he punches her in the face again! She takes another step back, unable to comprehend anything going on around her anymore.

_Glurg_

Reapermon grabs Sakuyamon by the neck and lifts her off her feet. She can't breath, she can barely see, she can't do anything to fight back. She is lifted higher off her feet. Her eyes strain and she only sees the cold resolve of the reaper staring into her. He tosses her through the air, and her body thuds onto the rocks by the water.

"You all fight like your younger-selves,"

He moves towards her.

"... nothing held back."

Sakuyamon scrambles back on her hand and knees. Struggling to breath, struggling to think, she reaches into her pocket, "F-f-fox card." She tries to throw the card at him. He bats it away.

"Admirable,"

She tries to stand up, with her unbroken hand she pushes off the ground and then twinkles her fingers to summon a mystical fox. As it stretches out of the bag on her hip, Reapermon slices it before it can even fully materialize.

"... But misguided."

Rika steps back away from him. She tries to ready a fighting pose with a broken arm and just her staff.

"ARGH!"

She holds her staff with her left arm and attempts to jab him with the pointy end. He easily dodges and grabs the top half of it with his own left hand. He yanks at the staff and it snaps in half! Sakuyamon lunges forward involuntarily. Reapermon swings the pointy end around and thrusts it into her abdomen!

_Swip!_

Rika feels the wind knocked out of her. Her breath caught. The bottom half of her staff clatters to the ground. Her left hand braces on his left arm. She tries to breath but can't. She briefly looks up at him and stares into the face of death. She looks down and sees the spear tip sticking into her body. She can't let go of him or she'll fall. She can't fight back. Her mouth fills with a liquid. It tastes like iron.

Reapermon releases his grip on the staff and pulls his arm back. Before she can fall over he raises it to her shoulder and steadies her. Sakuyamon stares down at the ground, her head pounding, her stomach pounding, her entire body going into shock. He lifts his scythe up and the threat of it wards her head up, further and further until she has no alternative but to look him in the eyes.

"You fought valiantly, Rika. Be proud, and go with grace," he is solemn and nods to her, as if she should agree with him. As if this is the end. Against all odds, she nods back. He smiles, "You have been taught to obey."

Reapermon gives her a light push, and she staggers in front of him. She steps back but can't go any further. Her eyes turn behind her. She is on a small cliff, a dozen or so feet above the water. She faces forward. He raises his scythe up to liberate her. Time slows down.

She catches a glimpse of the moon. In the empty void of the night sky, it stood as a candle in the abyss.

"NO!"

Bright white arms wrap around Reapermon from behind and abruptly halts him. Gallantmon is upon him, weaponless and weak. Rika watches the struggle, but the pain in her stomach and the pain in her head are overwhelming. Her left hand fingertips idly reach down for her stomach, finding her spear lodged into her abdomen.

Gallantmon fights mightily, while Reapermon doesn't even bother with him. "Peace has cost you your strength."

He elbows Takato in the place where his scythe had sliced him before, cracking the armor open. Gripping the spear at the source, Sakuyamon pulls with one giant effort and the spear comes out of her body. Blood gushes out of the wound. Bits of data stream upwards and fade into nothing. Takato screams in agony and releases his grip.

"Victory has defeated you."

Reapermon grabs Gallantmon's arm, leans forward, and pulls. He throws Gallantmon over his shoulder and tosses him directly at Sakuyamon.

Takato crashes into Rika. They both tumble over the edge, and plummet into the water below.

* * *

Always the image of stoicism to the outside world, inside Mitsuo Yamaki is a muddled puddle of emotion. Above him, a wormhole builds towards completion. A low thunder rumbles. He swipes his ID badge to the high rise tower.

_Bee-BEEP_

_Click_

So many questions, so much concern. The young boy, Kenta, seems like a real asset now to Yamaki. They have spent the entire trip to the building talking technobabble, indiscernible by either of Ryo or Jeri.

_'He's so young, but in his own way he's already smarter than me.'_

Yamaki considers himself a highly intelligent person. However, even he admits when things are outside of his purview of expertise. A great leader of men and women, a skilled politician, and knowledgeable enough of computer sciences. But the boy outclassed him in every way as it pertained to computer engineering. The math of creating Juggernaut is completely different from the math of creating the machines that create Juggernaut. He swipes the elevator.

_Bee-BEEP_

_Ding_

No one says a thing as it climbs up. Yamaki texts Riley with a scant update, skipping over the dead boys and resurrections. They'll have time for that later. He doesn't want to cause a panic for Riley, or the parents. Meanwhile, he does everything to keep his cool. Janyu has not answered any texts or calls.

_'How much could have been done? Why was the work done?'_

He steals a glance at the teenagers beside him. They don't deserve this battle. They should be free of this. But they are also indispensable now. He needs them far more than they need him. The doors open and the elevator is flooded with light.

"Whoa." One of them says.

"What the- !" Another one adds.

The Tamers step out first and then Mitsuo. All around the room, the computers are humming at full speed. The chairs that Riley used to operate move automatically. The entire room, previously requiring countless technicians and engineers, is running itself.

_Sniff sniff_

Yamaki smells something bad, but it is barely a blip on his radar. He is too distracted by the lights and self-operating machines. He walks out to his left and stares about the room. He wonders if it's artificial intelligence or some other system. He wonders if this is Janyu's doing.

_'Or something more sinister?'_

Having no prior conceptions of the building or what to expect, Ryo and Jeri mindlessly wander taking it all in. Ryo moves towards Yamaki. Kenta, on the other hand, is blown away by what he sees. As a secret operation, he expected the room to be massive and all-encompassing, but even his wildest dreams didn't prepare him for what he now witnesses. He wanders up an aisle towards a larger screen. Jeri steps cautiously behind him, following Rika's book bag on his shoulders.

_Sniff sniff_

Something rancid attacks Kenta's nostrils. His eyes are pulled downward and he notices a few feet up ahead a tuft of blue hair barely visible above a spinning desk chair. Kenta had visited Henry enough to recognize that blue hair from anywhere

_'Mr. Wong!'_

_Sniff sniff_

Yamaki's eyes are still in awe of Hypnos running autonomously. He is entranced by the digital world when his mind catches up to the physical world. He recognizes the smell. He recognizes it from earlier in the night. On the opposite side of the room, Kenta rushes ahead and comes to a sudden stop at the sight of Janyu Wong, slumped in the chair. Jeri Katou walks up behind him. She sees the blue hair barely sticking out above the chair. Her eyes follow his, to the ground, where a pool of crimson spreads out across the tile floor.

"AHHHHH!"

Ryo and Yamaki sprint across the room, towards the source of the scream. Jeri's arms and legs shake violently for a moment and she falls to a desk. She tries to grip it, to steady herself, to keep herself upright. Her fingers slip and she falls to her knees. Horror fills her eyes and fills her mind. She peaks back at Mr. Wong's corpse. She wants to look away, but she can not.

Kenta knows he should move towards her, to comfort her. But he can't move or look away. He feels stuck in place. Yamaki and Ryo come to a stop at the scene and they take in the sight. The older, blue haired father lies down in the chair. A large cut in his chest, near his heart, is filled with pale red blood. It had pooled in his shirt, then ran down his arms and onto the floor beneath him. Jeri looks away and begins sobbing quietly, trying to hold it in. He's been dead a couple of hours now, the body getting colder.

Yamaki's mind shuts down as he looks upon his dead friend. Guilt follows quickly thereafter for the man who had built the room around them. Kenta says nothing as tears begin forming and he flashes back to all of his visits to the Wong household. Ryo shakes his head in disbelief. He looks down at Jeri, crying softly on the floor.

Jeri can only think about death. She thinks about all the death she has seen. How it continues to haunt her. She thinks about the skeletons in her closet, and how they felt more like ghosts. Ghosts that she keeps shut behind a door, piled in, waiting for the door to be cracked even a little so they could unfurl upon her.

Jeri has had to be strong. She has had to keep it together for so long. Images flash in her mind's eye. She sees Takato dead on the ground, the pool of crimson under him the same as the pool of crimson here now. Takato lying on the ground, dying, no different than Leomon lying on the ground. She watched him fade away, just like she watched Rika fading away in the park. Rika standing in place, disappearing, like Kazu standing still as a statue in the Digital World. The finality of Kazu's death, the same feeling she had at her mother's funeral. Her mother was the first death, and now Mr. Wong is the latest, here at Hypnos.

The blood on the floor reminds her of earlier in the night. Rika's face, smeared with blood. Until Jeri wiped it off. The blood and the sweat dripping down her friend's face, framed all around by the flaming red hair. Rika's smiling face as they sipped tea in the Nonaka house and talked about dreams and nightmares.

Jeri wants her friend here. She needs Rika by her side. She doesn't want to be alone anymore. She wants to be free of her pain. Rika had been "right here" before. _They_ had been "right here" for each other before. Now Rika wasn't here and Jeri wants it to all go away. She wants to go away. She can't escape death. Everywhere she runs, everywhere she hides, death comes for her. It comes for her. It always comes back. The ghosts always come back. The bodies always come back. Death comes back to her.

Like an old friend, she walks with it.

Like an old friend, she welcomes death at every turn.

Jeri has had to be strong. But she's not strong. She can't be anymore. The pain is too great. It has extinguished the light in her.

An arm wraps around her. She looks up at Ryo kneeling beside her. He rubs her back and arm. They look at one another a moment until she sits up. He wraps her in his arms and she continues crying into his shoulder. He whispers softly, "C'mon, Jeri. We need you. _Rika_ needs you."

_'Rika needs me?'_

Kenta turns to Yamaki, tears in his eyes, "What do we need to do? To shut this thing off, or reverse it, or whatever we're going to do? I'll do it. Whatever it is, whatever it takes."

Mouth dry, trying to compose himself, Yamaki looks around, "Ugh, this way, follow me."

He walks away, towards a back room with many of the computers. A room kept cool by numerous blowing fans. As Kenta marches off behind him, Ryo gingerly stands Jeri up. Loose tears fall still, as she tries to get right. Ryo smiles warmly and says, "C'mon. We'll do whatever we can."

He places one hand on her back and one hand on her arm. Slowly they follow Yamaki and Kenta into the poorly lit hallway. Slowly they slip into the shadows.

* * *

Like autumn leaves from the tree, falling so slow, the fragile, beaten Tamers float down through the water.

The burning, searing pain of their wounds are wrapped by the cooling water of the pond. The water wraps itself around them and seems to invite them to breathe underneath, rather than strangle them of air.

In her semi-conscious state, Rika's mind pans. A year ago, she jumped across the rocks, tackled Takato, and dove them together into these waters.

Sakuyamon's lungs begin filling with water.

She remembers the joy of it, just the two of them. This pond, this water, this park. It is the birthplace of their love. Their love was never easy or a passionate affair of the whims. It was built, brick by brick, with care and attention.

As Rika begins to drown inside, Sakuyamon begins to pixelate.

Conversations in her room, walks through the park at sunset, card games in his bedroom, dinner with their families. They had forged their love with his fire and her steely resolve.

Rika's lungs fill with water and shut down, her body and brain lose oxygen.

But in her final moments, she thinks of Takato. She thinks of his warmth. His hazel eyes smiling at her. How she pretended to be something for so long, but with him she was completely herself. How she found a home in his arms.

Memories come to Rika. A voice in the back of her head speaks. It whispers to her. It ebbs and flows to life. It calls to her.

_'"...Don't drown in the water, but don't die of thirst either…"'_

_'"... If you're entire plan is just to get revenge, then I suggest you dig two graves…"'_

_'"... The light can destroy just as well as the dark…"_

_'"... all that any of us has is the time that we have while we have it… "'_

She feels all of the love in her heart. She feels Takato's love. It has kept her alive so far. But now she feels the pain in her heart. She feels all of Takato's pain.

_'Be like the wave, and crash.'_

_'Return to the ocean.'_

She sees it again. The wave rising high above her head. She sees it again. Tackling Takato and falling into this pond. The water wraps around Rika and Sakuyamon. A light within warms her. It extinguishes the water drowning her lungs.

_"... does that mean I'm not fated to defeat The Shadow?'"_

_'"... the ripples may be inevitable, but we make the ripples. We throw the stones…"'_

In her memory, Kari's hazel eyes look into Rika's and speak five little words. Rika opens her lilac eyes. She looks down and the tag and crest around her neck glows to life.

She grabs Gallantmon by the hand. A new power courses through her. She mentally conjures two mystical foxes to appear. The first wraps itself around Gallantmon while the other floats to find MegaGargomon, drowning in these waters as well. The foxes wrap around the Digimon and the boys, breathing life into them. She pulls Gallantmon into her arms. Rika commands them to all rise.

Like autumn leaves, falling so slow, the fragile, beaten Tamers all float to the surface.

* * *

Reapermon stands upon the rocks and stares up at the moon once again, his back to the water. He does not celebrate, but sits contemplatively and watches the moon shine on a grateful city. A grateful universe.

_'The work is done.'_

_Splash_

His ears perk. Cautiously, he turns on spot. Rising out from the water is the girl. Encased in her fox energy is the giant rabbit. Held in her arms is the white knight. The moon shines differently on her now.

Rika carefully places Takato on the rocks, her fox placing Henry nearby. Upon their safe return, the foxes return to Rika. She rises up and stares down at her love, unconscious on the ground. She makes a promise. She will protect him.

She turns and shouts, "Kazu!"

Reapermon eyes her oddly. He cocks his head to the side and does not answer. She extends her arms out widely and says, "I never obeyed, and as you can see I am _not_ dead."

Kazu steps towards her. She has changed. He stares at his enemy quizzically and asks, "What trick is this now?"

Sakuyamon's helmet remains, the painting of Renamon's head peering out. But her armor is gone. She wears a white kimono robe and a long, slightly pleated scarlet skirt. Around her waist is a large black, leather belt with a silver buckle.

She feels her hair has grown even longer and now drags on the ground. The half staff, which had pierced her before, has regrown. It is slightly shorter than before and doesn't have any rings on the end. It is a sacred broom, devoid of sharp edges and rings, replaced instead with dozens of flowing white ribbons.

"You went to the Dark Ocean and became The Shadow. I, too, went to the Dark Ocean and paid a visit in it's waters."

Kazu snorts at this, "Ah, you believe the darkness is your ally now?"

Rika ignores his attempt to deride her, "Wading into the water taught me something important."

Reapermon narrows his eyes at her. He furrows his brow, "And what was that?"

"We make our own fate."

"So you've digivolved?"

"Aye." She says without even a hint of a smile on her face. "This is my Maid Mode."

Reapermon looks away. He stares up at the moon. The vast, empty black of the horizon. "An unforeseen obstacle," he says dismissively.

He looks back at her, "You'll die alone all the same."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: This chapter's OST is "Violet Hill" by Coldplay.
> 
> Love always. Rukato forever.
> 
> Notorious


	15. Alone

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rika faces The Shadow alone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Part of the journey is the end. Love and be loved. Read… and review!

**Alone**

As Yamaki approaches the door he pulls his ID card from out of his wallet. He swipes the lock.

_Bee-BEEP_

_Click_

The light flashes red and then green. The door unlocks and he pushes it open. Yamaki holds the door a second until Kenta can catch up. They enter a control room, where there are numerous large computers all operating at full capacity. Kenta shakes a little as he walks in, the door closing behind him.

_Woosh_

Large fans blast through the room, to keep the computers from ever overheating. The fans are so loud that Kenta can't barely hear anything over them.

_Knock knock_

Before Kenta can step into the room, a knock on the door stops him. Ryo stands out in the hallway. Kenta tries to push the door open, but it doesn't budge. Yamaki steps over, "Here, wait."

_Bee-BEEP_

_Click_

The door unlocks and Ryo pulls it open, standing in the doorway. Jeri moves in the back, and leans against the wall behind him. The open door allows for the noise to escape so none of them have to scream over one another. Kenta turns back to the room, as Yamaki continues reviewing some reports. He steps towards the blonde man and asks him, "So what is the system doing?"

Yamaki shakes his head lightly, frustrated. "It's bad. I thought this was the case based on the cloud formations, but-"

"What's bad? What case? What's happening?"

Yamaki isn't sure if it's Kenta or Ryo who asks these questions, he just keeps flipping through settings and programs. Initial diagnostic reports tell him exactly what he feared. His eyes briefly flip to the two boys staring at him.

He finally says, "It's operating Juggernaut."

"Okay?" Kenta asks, confused by Yamaki sharing information they already know. "You said that may be the case at the school."

He nods his head. "Yes. The problem is it's sole purpose is not to just pull Digimon out of our world. It's had other purposes as well."

He pauses a moment to fix his glasses. "The Devas came here with it, and then used it to escape with Calumon."

"I remember. The sky was ripped open."

"The sky was what?" Ryo is in utter shock.

"Oh, yeah, I forget you were already in the Digital World when all of that was going on." Kenta confesses.

Ryo stares at Yamaki, trying to put the pieces together, "So what is… are you saying this thing-"

"Somehow I think the Shadow came here and set the system to run. And now it's being used to _bring_ Digimon here."

"Do we know what kind, how many," Kenta begins to ask.

"I'm still trying to figure that out, but it's… it's not good."

"Well what do we do!" Ryo demands. "They're out there fighting and they're all alone."

"We can reverse it," Yamaki offers hope. A brief moment of excitement overcomes both boys before he continues. "But it won't be instantaneous. And I can't do it alone."

"Whatever you need, I'll do it." Kenta says without hesitation.

Yamaki points across the room to a panel along the wall. He instructs, "We'll need to open that panel, so we can manually override the Hypnos mainframe with the satellites."

Kenta strides across the room without another word. He drops Rika's book bag to the floor. He comes to a stop at it and sees the panel is screwed in. He initially begins to look around, but something hits him.

He looks down at the book bag again. He stoops down to open it. In the front zipper, he finds the screwdriver. She told him it could be a weapon. But he needs a different tool. And right now this is the perfect one.

Ryo's reaction is different as he pleads, "But if it's not instant then what are we going to do if those Digimon-"

_BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!_

Yamaki looks down at the alert on the monitor, then turns to Ryo. "We're too late. The portal is open."

"It's open?" Ryo asks. An idea takes root in their collective mind.

"Yes, they can come and go as they please right now. And if The Shadow did this, I think that means we're about to be invaded. But that also means-"

"They can come and go as they please?" Ryo asks. The idea begins to blossom between the two. Ryo says, "Okay, I think I know what to do."

Yamaki looks him in the eyes and nods. After a second he gestures with his head for Ryo to take off. "Go on now, you know what to do."

The door closes behind him as Ryo makes his exit.

_Woosh_

The door shuts behind him and he begins to step away when he remembers that Jeri is standing nearby. The momentum he's feeling right now almost carries him away, but he stops and turns back to her, "Jeri, I-"

She gestures with her hand and dismisses him. "Go on, do whatever you need to do. I just… I need to get some fresh air."

"Are you sure?"

She dons a fake smile, "Of course. Go!"

Against his better judgement, Ryo accepts this outcome. He is too consumed by the moment to think of anything outside of himself. He turns to put his plan into action. Meanwhile, Jeri turns and walks the other away, down a dark corridor, away from the control room.

She walks for a few seconds, and finally stops when she is out of sight of the locked room. The hallways are dark. She leans against a wall and tries to clear her mind. She closes her eyes and tries to think about nothing.

Her mind flashes of her friends, fighting for their lives. How they are all alone, as Ryo said. She thinks of Henry, and Takato, and finally Rika. She wants to help. She is trying to push the pain down when she hears something near her.

". . . bury us deep…"

She turns and looks down the hallway. She swore for a moment she heard Rika's voice. As she stares into the void, the voice whispers again.

". . . we'll get to that day…"

Jeri startles but doesn't run. She can hear Rika. She hears her labored breathing, and the cool demeanor of a warrior.

". . . born out of death…"

Jeri steps into the darkness. She hears Rika getting closer with each step.

'Is _this what it was like for Rika? Does the Ocean call to me now?"_

". . . ARGH… "

Jeri thinks about how she watched Rika wander off into the classroom, until she just disappeared. She wonders if that will happen to her now. She thinks about what Ryo said to her.

_'He said, "We need you._ Rika _needs you." And now she's calling out for me._ I _can be the hero._ I _can save them all.'_

Jeri Katou moves towards the darkness until she disappears.

* * *

"Grim Slasher!"

The grapple flies out across the distance between them, but this time Rika watches it fly in slow motion. Sakuyamon Maid Mode dodges it with ease, but as it shoots past she reaches up and grabs it with her free hand.

Reapermon watches in surprise as she easily avoids his attack. The next second though he is snapped forward. Sakuyamon Maid Mode pulls the chain and he involuntarily flies forward, towards her. Nearly stumbling to the ground he composes himself just in time. He raises his scythe up to bring down upon her.

_Clang_

Sakuyamon Maid Mode holds her new staff up and stops the attack in its tracks. Reapermon, shocked by this, takes his eyes off his enemy a moment as he looks up at it. With his eyes averted, Sakuyamon Maid Mode takes advantage. She grabs his chest armor and begins spinning in place.

After sufficiently dizzying her opponent, she tosses him with force. He flies down to the ground and skids several yards away. Sakuyamon Maid Mode floats several feet off the ground and points her staff in his direction.

_'I call upon the ancient spirits. Water, Fire, Wind, and Thunder. Come to my aid!'_

Reapermon looks up at her from the ground. Bursting forth from her staff and from behind her, a whirlwind of cherry blossom petals shoot forward! They blind Reapermon and push him further back, keeping him pinned to the ground.

"Argh!" He groans from pain and stays down.

Sakuyamon Maid Mode raises her staff. She points it at the sky, up to the clouds, and the moon. She swings the staff downward in his direction.

_CRACK_

From the heavens a ball of lightning comes down and strikes him where he lies! Sensing the advantage, Sakuyamon Maid Mode soars to him. She rises above him, her staff above her head, and swings it down at his body on the ground.

_Crash_

At the last second Reapermon rolls away and her staff hits the earth that was beneath him. He rolls for another second and Sakuyamon Maid Mode follows. He tries to get to his feet. As he does, Sakuyamon Maid Mode swings her staff at his head. As he rises he feels her presence and swings his scythe at her.

_Slice!_

_Swip_

Both Megas take a step back from each other a moment. Sakuyamon Maid Mode waits to feel pain. He had swung his scythe wildly and missed her completely. But she had not missed him.

Reapermon relaxes a moment. She had nearly decapitated him, but she'd missed. Or so he thought. He lifts his claw hand up and touches his face. He feels something wet to the touch. He blots it and then brings his claw down to look at it. He smirks at it, bemused.

Looking up at Sakuyamon Maid Mode he smiles, "All that for a drop of blood?"

Sakuyamon Maid Mode twirls her staff in hand for a second and prepares to charge. Before she can though, Reapermon raises both of his claw and scythe into the air and yells, "BURNING CYCLONE!"

His body begins spinning in place, gaining speed quickly and all around him a tower of fire begins building! It takes the shape of a tornado and jets of flame spurt out and strike the surrounding trees around them. It spreads quickly, from tree to tree. Rika looks around as he sets the world around her on fire.

Sakuyamon Maid Mode calls for aid, "Izuna!"

From out of the pouch on her hip the four mystical foxes rise. She commands them, "Extinguish the flames."

The foxes leave her side at once and begin working to subdue the inferno. Rika's eyes follow a moment as she watches her world burn. This forest, this park, has been a home for her and now it burns down with fire and blood.

"ARGH!"

Sakuyamon Maid Mode looks up and Reapermon flies above her! He brings his scythe down!

_Clang_

Quick thinking saves her as she raises her staff up with her left hand to block his attack. She watches him bawl his claw hand into a fist and swing it at her.

_Clutch_

Sakuyamon Maid Mode catches his fist with her right hand. They stand opposed, the great forces of good and evil, just inches apart.

"I thought you were a formidable Digimon…" he looks down upon her.

She feels him pushing his right fist closer, angling his grapple cannon towards her. Sakuyamon Maid Mode pushes back, but Rika is in a compromised position.

". . . but you're dying like any man."

Reapermon quickly raises his scythe a moment, just to bring it right back down.

_Clang_

Her staff bounces back towards her. He does it again.

_Clang_

Sakuyamon Maid Mode recoils a bit, trying to stay in this defensive position. She tries to think of an exit but the grapple cannon gets closer to pointing at her head. He raises his scythe again.

_Clang_

Now Sakuyamon Maid Mode falls to a knee, desperate to keep his scythe and cannon at bay. He smiles viciously at her, raises his leg and kicks her in the chest.

_THUD_

Sakuyamon Maid Mode falls down onto her back and skids for a second, pushing into the dirt. Rather than attacking though, Reapermon turns his back on her and walks away. He hisses through the dark, "The shadows betray you because they belong to me."

Suddenly the shadows all around Sakuyamon Maid Mode grab hold of her. They hold her in place and keep her pinned to the ground. Rika struggles against the bindings, but she goes nowhere. They grow tighter around her.

_'Get… up! We have… to move!'_ She tells Renamon.

_'I… can't.'_ Renamon replies weakly.

The defeat in Renamon's voice was defeaning. Rika looks around for help. She sees the shadows wrap around Gallantmon and MegaGargomon. Like a boa constrictor the black shadows loop around her friends and slowly cover them in darkness. She feels it too, the shadows squeezing her tighter, making it harder to breath.

Rika flashes back to a memory that feels more like a nightmare. When The Darkness sprung it's trap on her, Henry, and Ryo in the Dark Ocean World. This is what happened then too, a black cord wrapping around her, squeezing the life from her and her friends. Just like then, she now watches as her friends are devoured. She is powerless to stop it.

Reapermon floats up and turns to her. With a sinister smile he raises his claw and scythe out to his sides and tells her, "You do not have the strength to survive the wrath of the dragon, Rika."

He closes his eyes and feels himself weaken, as if a part of him is unplugged. Rika watches him, unsure of what to expect. In the distance, high above the burning trees, Rika sees it.

Three dragon's rose above the forest, above the metropolitan skyline. Devidramon, Megadramon, and Megidramon. They all loom large and stare down at her. She looks into their purple eyes. The lilac was a raging flame, burning down the white of their eyes like the fire catching throughout the park around her. Beyond them, the wormhole in the sky sparks lightning and the thunder follows.

_CRACK_

"It's glorious, isn't it?" Reapermon asks her. "Let me tell you something. You humans have a saying, 'faster than the speed of light.' But the only thing faster than the speed of light… is darkness. No matter where you go, or how far you travel…"

Rika watches with horror as shadowy figures begin floating down from the sky above. An untold number of dark Digimon drift towards the pond. Leading the pack is a familiar BlackWarGreymon descending amongst hundreds, maybe thousands of others.

". . . Darkness will always be there first, often waiting for the light to arrive."

_CRACK_

Reapermon closes his claw into a fist and with that simple motion the light of the moon is extinguished. The stars, the moon, they have all been blown out. He has left her in the dark. They laid in absolute darkness. The only light came from the burning forest, the lightning in the sky, and the city lights in the distance.

"My army of darkness, come to cleanse whatever remains of those who resist," He looks proud and wears victory upon his face, "You said you make your own fate. But this is destiny fulfilled."

Rika's eyes return to Henry, and once again to Takato. Looking for any movement or assistance.

_CRACK_

"You said before that I didn't bury you deep enough." Rika looks up at her captor. "I won't make the same mistake again. This time you'll all be buried so deep your own ghosts won't be able to find you."

_'All of this.'_

_'All of the fighting.'_

_'Meeting Kari and Ken.'_

_'The crests of Fate and Miracles.'_

_'It has to mean something.'_

_'It can't be for nothing.'_

The Shadow expects her to be anxious, at attention. To face her death with dignity. He is annoyed to find she is desperately looking at her friends instead. The giant rabbit and the white knight. The Shadow looks at her. He sees how she looks at them with such worry and fear.

_CRACK_

He offers her comforting words, "They'll die alone."

Rika's eyes dart up to him, agast.

In the soft orange-red glow of the burning forest, she sees him points his grapple cannon at her tied down body.

"As will you."

The shot rings out loud above the thunder.

_BOOM!_

The motionless target takes the full blast head on.

Rika watches a fire of purple energy wash over Reapermon. Suddenly, she felt the shackles of the shadows release. In the blink of an eye, the moon ushers back into the sky.

"She's not alone."

Sakuyamon Maid Mode stands and follows the sound of the voice. She stares into the black and her eyes find it. Jet black wings, three green eyes, a helmet made of violet, dressed in leather and metal, she sees him floating. An angel of darkness.

"Beelzemon?" She asks.

Keeping his blaster trained on Reapermon, he gives a brief moment of eye contact and a head nod. With inhuman swiftness, Reapermon jumps back several yards and floats high above both of them now. Beelzemon repositions his blaster on his target. Sakuyamon Maid Mode stares in absolute disbelief.

She asks him, "You came back?"

"We _all_ came back."

Turning around, high above, Sakuyamon Maid Mode sees all of them begin to appear. Nearly disappearing into the thunder and lighting is the body of a dragon, Azulongmon. Holding tightly to MarineAngemon, Justimon floats down towards her like a parachuter. Hopping through the unburnt forest is Antylamon. An Angewomon and Stingmon. The flaming phoenix of Zhuqiaomon, the white tiger Baihumon, the two headed turtle Ebonwumon. So many others in the distance that she couldn't make out. She watches all of them coming to their aid.

Finally free, conscious, and strong enough, Gallantmon and MegaGargomon rise up and slowly make their way towards Sakuyamon Maid Mode. They nurse their injuries all the way to her, carefully holding their chests at the places they had been carved open. A moment after they arrive, Justimon lands a few feet away and walks towards them with MarineAngemon at his side.

Justimon looks at all of his friends. Smiling he says, "Well, you all look like shit."

The group shares a chuckle for a second before MegaGargomon says, "Please, don't, it hurts to laugh."

Justimon shakes his head, "Yeah, I'm not surprised. Well, maybe we can do something about that. How about it, bud?"

He turns to the tiny Digimon next to him. MarineAngemon smiles widely at his old friends.

"Kahuna Wave!" He squeals.

He blows a flurry of bubble hearts at them. They wash over the three Megas. Their wounds are healed on impact, the damage lessening with each second, the pain ebbing, their strength returning to them.

Justimon looks at each of his friends and then says, "Rika, you look, uh, different."

"I know," she replies, twirling her staff and turning back to look at Reapermon. "Almost did the trick too."

She turns to Gallantmon now, "Any rallying cries you think we should go with this time?"

Justimon offers, "How's about 'Thanks Ryo, You Saved Us!' I like that one, personally."

The group chuckles again, this time painlessly. MegaGargomon though, turns hopefully to the group and offers, "Only Together?"

Rika likes this option, and while Justimon shakes his head in agreement, Takato doesn't respond. Takato briefly recalls leading these same friends into the battle against D-Reaper by telling them it was 'for Jeri.' Gallantmon turns away from the group and faces Reapermon.

"What happened to Kazu in the Digital World was a tragedy. And I blamed myself for it for far too long."

A light begins glowing around Gallantmon's neck. Inside, Takato's courage strikes up. "Kazu made the ultimate sacrifice for us. I needed a little reminder, but Kazu did what he did out of love. For me and for all of us."

The tag and crest around Takato's neck glows brighter and brighter. It envelopes all of Gallantmon's armor. "So now it's our job to return the favor."

The light fades and the Crest of Miracles dulls. He has transformed into Gallantmon Crimson Mode. He white wings spurt out, he holds his new weapons. He stands tall and faces his enemy. "Out of love we do this… for Kazu."

The Scarlet Knight stares down The Shadow. MegaGargomon looks from one side to the next. He steps forward and stands beside Takato and asks, "For Kazu?"

Sakuyamon Maid Mode turns to face Reapermon. She steps up and stands between her friends, "For Kazu."

Justimon moves and stands besides them. Ryo yells out, "FOR KAZU!"

High above them, Beelzemon let's out a guttural roar.

"RAWR!" And all of the light Digimon charge forward.

As they advance, Reapermon points his scythe forward and all of the army of darkness charged as well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: This Chapter's OST is "A Light On A Hill" by Margaret & The Nuclear So & So's.
> 
> Love always. Rukato forever.
> 
> Notorious


	16. All the Dead Lie Down

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rika lies down.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Part of the journey is the end. Love and be loved. Read… and review!

**All** **the Dead Lie Down**

"Can you read that back to me again?"

"Sure. My screen shows optimization at 4.14, 7.08, and 12.14."

Mitsuo pauses for a second, to double and triple check the readings, but also for dramatic effect. He is fully confident in their combined abilities and he wants to savor the moment.

"Well?"

"We've got it."

"We've got it?"

"We've got it!"

"Hurrah!" Kenta shouts in excitement.

Mitsuo Yamaki has found that much of what happens in people's lives is bullshit. Happiness and success dragged down by time and responsibility. The good in the world is fleeting, chased away by hard times. That is a difficult concept to come to terms with, but an important one. That kind of clarity allows for one to take inventory. Yamaki has learned when to indulge in successes and celebrate the little victories.

This moment right now is no little victory.

_'This is a huge win.'_

Yamaki had been hours ahead of him, but Ryo eventually saw what Yamaki saw. Heroes and Monsters weren't two separate ideas: they could be one. Monsters coming to _be_ the heroes. Kenta and Yamaki had successfully both brought in necessary reinforcement, and reversed the course of Juggernaut. Now, they just needed to stall.

"So how will it work exactly? How will it pull them back?"

"It pulls by density. Takato and the others won't get pulled, at least not right away."

"You mean, they _can_ get sent back to the Digital World?"

"If they de-digivolve their partners will definitely go. The sum of it is this: the stronger they are, the longer it will take to pull them back."

"So that means The Shadow…"

"Will be the last to go, but he _will_ go."

"What about Gallantmon and -"

"If we time it right, and they win down there, we can send everyone but Guilmon and company back."

"But what if they…"

A silence falls between them. This last question hangs over the room. When no response comes, Kenta looks around and asks, "Where's Jeri?"

Yamaki pauses and thinks before replying, "Didn't she help Ryo?"

"I don't know. I didn't see her leave with him?"

"Then she must be around her somewhere, she probably just wandered off," Yamaki fixed his glasses. "I'll go find her. You stay here and keep an eye on things, make sure nothing goes out of whack."

Yamaki steps into the shadows in search of the brunette.

* * *

"MEGA TWISTER!"

MegaGargomon charges his opponent and wraps him in his arms. Swiftly he lifts the hulking mass above his head, then he spins rapidly before tossing them to the dirt below.

Crashing into the ground, their armor cracked all over, BlackWarGreymon groans. He looks up and shouts, "You'll pay for that, scum!"

"Will he? I'm not so sure."

BlackWarGreymon turns his head. A silver android with a red cape stands above him. Before BlackWarGreymon has a chance to react he shouts, "THUNDERCLAP!"

Slamming his metal arm into the ground, a path cracks and breaks all the way towards the dark Knight. Light erupts along the path until under him is nothing but bright lights. Suddenly, he feels a shock and pain. Then, he feels nothing.

MegaGargomon watches the data fade away and looks down at his comrade, smiling, "Glad you could join us."

_Rustle_

Justimon smiles back, "I couldn't let you all have _all_ the fun!"

"Haaa!"

From out of the shadows of the forest a tree lunges at Justimon. Neither he nor MegaGargomon moves, neither ever saw it coming. A Cherrymon grabs hold of him and pulls his arms and legs apart.

"Izuna!"

Suddenly a flying fox of fire passes into Cherrymon. A second later his brush explodes into flame. He releases Justimon and reaches up to try to put out the flame. As he does, a maiden in a white kimono dashes through him, wielding a sacred broom. He too feels pain for a short while, until he feels nothing.

Sakuyamon Maid Mode turns and faces her friends. For a moment they stare in stunned reverence at how effortlessly she dispatched her enemy. After a moment, Ryo turns to his friends and pronounces, "See, _this_ is why they needed us last time!"

The group shares a laugh for a moment at this. It's good for them to expel some relief amongst the mayhem. Sakuyamon Maid Mode turns to them and says, "I'm just glad we could all fight for the good guys this time."

_Whoosh_

"SHADOW SLASH!""

The fun and good times come to an abrupt end as a Kuwagamon swoops in and tries to decapitate them. As it swings past though, MegaGargomon opens the miniguns on his gauntlet. He takes aim and fires out in front of where he flies.

_'Perfect!'_

The beast is blasted in the back. It falls away, deep into the forest around them.

MegaGargomon returns to his friends, "Hey, by the way, when am I getting my fancy new Mode? Ya know, since you and Takato each have one now. I'm thinking MegaGargomon: Mega Mode."

_'Freaking dweebs.'_ Rika thinks to herself as she shakes her head and chuckles.

Justimon butts in, "Oh, actually, mine is on backorder."

Both turn to him laughing. "Yeah, I forgot to uhhh mention that earlier," he deadpans. "Mr. Omu said it'll arrive in 2-3 weeks, but that was like, I don't know, 6 or 7 weeks ago now, so who knows?"

"Just shut it." Rika laughs.

MegaGargomon chuckles to himself but in the process his eyes wander and he sees an enemy flying away, unpursued. He points to the Saberdramon and says to them, "I'm gonna go kill that big, black, bird thing that's about to reign fire on the city."

_Rumble_

They each nod to him and then he flies off in a hurry. Sakuyamon Maid Mode turns to Justimon both turn to face a crowd of charging Infermon. Justimon does a light stretch as they race towards them. Sakuyamon Maid Mode brushes some dirt off of her shoulders. His fist begins glowing with lightning. She sticks her staff on the dirt and a light spreads across the ground.

"Thunderclap!"

"Amethyst Mandala!"

Both attacks travel along and reach the group, erasing them with ease upon impact. The two friends relax as they stand side by side, staring up at the floating data like shooting stars. Justimon leans over and says, "Speaking of Mr. Omu, you weren't there to stop me from digivolving this time."

He peeks at her expecting a reaction. Too smart at his game, Rika doesn't give him one. She simply replies, "I knew I should have brought more option cards with me."

Justimon leans away and laughs. He shakes his head and smiles. Oh how he loves to play with her. "Maybe next time?"

Sakuyamon Maid Mode smiles, "In the meantime it'll be good to see you get your mojo back."

They share a warm stare. Some rustling in the distance catches Rika's eye. She points at a mechanized dinosaur and says, "I'm gonna go take on that RustTyranomon."

Without hesitating Justimon replies, "Good luck."

"Wh-You're not gonna help me?" She asks, caught off guard.

"You don't need my help," he replies flatly. "And besides, I see a Piedmon over there. Gonna feel pretty cool to kill a Piedmon."

Rika thinks it over a second and then nods her head in agreement. Without another word they go their separate ways to fight the minions of the darkness.

* * *

_Smack!_

Takato was having more trouble than he cared to admit. In the mess of things, he had somehow gotten tangled with one of The Shadows top lieutenants, Devidramon. Granted, he'd missed a few shots, but now he laid face down in the ground after a Darkness Claw attack. He sits up, turns around and Devidramon hulks over top of him. The dragon stares down at him and roars.

"RAWR!"

The beast raises his arms up in a fist to bring down upon Gallantmon Crimson Mode. In the blink of an eye though, he gets pulled back a step. He stumbles backwards and reestablishes his footing. Turning behind him he sees a fallen angel in a motorcycle jacket holdings his tail.

"You're a real piece of work, you know that?" Beelzemon says to the beast.

With a giant pull of both arms, Beelzemon lifts the beast off its feet, over his head, and then sends it crashing into the ground behind them, crushing many trees beneath it.

_'I am not throwing away my shot.'_ Takato thinks.

Gallantmon Crimson Mode rises and zips through the air at the disabled beast. He plants his sword between its wings, twists, then withdrawals it. The monster feels pain for a moment. Then it feels nothing.

"Thanks for the assist." Gallantmon Crimson Mode says to his friend.

"Don't mention it."

Takato looks at Beelzemon and smiles, "Last time I saw you-"

"I was dying in your arms, don't remind me."

"I promised that we'd see each other again." Takato remembers this part more fondly than when he actually experienced it in the moment.

"Yeah, but I thought you meant we'd be eating some donuts or pudding. Not fighting in another war!"

"I'll tell you what," he says, adjusting himself and turning to face his friend fully. "If we win this one, I promise the next time I see you I'll bring donuts."

Beelzemon pumps his fist in celebration, "Now that's what I'm talking about! But none of that plain, boring stuff. The jelly filled kind, those are my favorite."

"Ha. Deal!"

They share a smile before Beelzemon grows more serious. He asks, "Where's Jeri? Is she safe?"

Gallantmon Crimson Mode shrugs his shoulders and replies, "I'm not sure. You should find Ryo, he was with her last."

Beelzemon nods and then flies off to find him.

* * *

Surveying the battlefield while avoiding crossfire, Beelzemon searches for a minute or so before finally finding what he's looking for. He swoops down to the scene.

Justimon falls into a heap on the ground and looks up as the Dark Master himself approaches. He leers down at Ryo.

"All the world's a stage, boy." He unseaths a pair of swords out of the Magic Box on his back. "What for you is a tragedy, for me is but a comedy!"

Justimon plots through a few escape plans quickly but none of them come to fruition. As Piedmon raises the swords over his head to bury in him, a metal claw reaches out and grabs Piedmon's arm. Quickly turning back the King Clown sees an enemy holding him back.

"Do what you must to me, but I will not allow you to hurt these children," Beelzemon tells him.

Turning on spot, Piedmon uses his free sword and buries it into Beelzemon's chest!

"ARGH!"

Beelzemon releases his grasp on Piedmon's arm and he fully turns towards the Mega.

"Don't you just hate it when someone cuts in on your scene?"

From behind Piedmon a voice comes, "I do."

_Thwick!_

"Ugh."

Piedmon gasps and drops his swords. They clatter on the ground before exploding and streaming away. The Dark Master looks down at his stomach. Beelzemon's eyes follow. Sticking out through his abdomen is a laser blade made of red energy. He feels pain for a moment. And then he felt nothing.

The data streams away in between Beelzemon and Justimon. Beelzemon rubs his chest where the sword had been buried a few seconds ago. The cut is shallow but burns nonetheless. Justimon examines the wound a second and asks, "You okay?"

"I'm fine. I'll be fine," he corrects himself. Beelzemon gives a solemn look to Justimon, "Where's Jeri?"

_'"I just… I need to get some fresh air."'_

"Ugh, she was at Hypnos with us, but," he pauses. The look of concern on Beelzemon's face stings Ryo. He is confident she's fine. He wants to reassure his ally, who just took a blade for him.

"She's safe."

A wave of relief crashes over Beelzemon. Dozens of years have passed in the Digital World since the Tamers had left, and none of them could have known what caused Beelzemon such stress. He had long suspected that the prophecy referred to Jeri. There was no way to know for sure, but knowing she was safe kept his fear at bay while they fought the Shadow and his army.

Another moment passes and Justimon flies off in one direction. Just as Beelzemon is about to follow, a glint of moon light reflects off of some armor in the distance. It catches his eye. He squints through the dark and recognizes it.

He flies towards the shadows.

* * *

"VULCAN'S HAMM-"

_Swip!_

Reapermon buries his scythe into the chest of the Zudomon, then withdraws it to watch his enemy fade away, "Shhh now. Be free, my child."

He turns towards his next prey and shouts, "GRIM SLASHER!"

His chain shoots out and pierces a Lilymon. She looks at the grapple lodged in her back shoulder. With a single mental command he pulls the chain back in and she involuntarily flies at him.

_Swip!_

_'Another taught to obey.'_ He thinks to himself as she disappears.

_'Master! They killed the first head of the dragon. What do we do now?'_ A voice telepaths to him.

He replies, ' _One head go to destroy the building. The other head stays with me. We don't have the luxury of dividing our strength.'_

In the distance, Megadramon changes course from carpet bombing the forces of light, and turns towards the city.

_THUD!_

A Demon Lord hits the ground. His momentum carries him forwards a few steps, but he comes to a stop about twenty yards away from the reaper. They stare one another down as the Shadow slowly turns his entire body to face them.

_'Friend, or for?'_ he wonders.

With a low, angry voice, Beelzemon says, "You took _everything_ from me."

Reapermon shakes his head in frustration and confusion. Gritting his teeth he replies, "I don't even know who you are."

Raising the blaster on his arm, Beelzemon scowls, "You will."

"Corona Blaster!"

A volley of purple energy surges out of the blaster. Reapermon raises his claw up to absorb the brunt of it.

_BOOM!_

_BOOM!_

_BOOM!_

Reapermon takes the hit from each blast and keeps moving towards the enemy. While the blasts damage him, none of them hurt him. An annoyance that impedes his progress, but doesn't stop it. Death slowly marches on, not stopped by man or mon.

Beelzemon stops firing and begins using his blaster to form something in the air. Reapermon watches him draw a pentagram. A circle forms around it and starts turning in place. He groans and yells out, "Oh, COME ON!"

He points his grapple cannon at the enemy and they yell their attacks simultaneously.

"GRIM SLASHER!"

"CORONA DESTROYER!"

The grapple shoots through night with a direct path at it's target. A blast of purple energy fires into the pentagram as a small energy ball. It explodes out a massive wave of power. The grapple makes it most of the way to Beelzemon. But pushed against by the force of the purple wave, it shutter and then falters. It stops and drops down. The wave runs through it. It plows through the night and rams into Reapermon!

_CRASH!_

Just like that, the Shadow is sent rocketing back! His body goes flying through the night. Combined with the wave of energy from Beelzemon, he tears through the trees and forest and leaves a path of destruction. He lies on his back, a hundred yards away, the trees and soil destroyed and burned down.

Beelzemon smirks to himself, proud to have blown his opponent away. Years of preparation have brought him to this moment.

_'Now to finish the job.'_

He steps forward and immediately his world is set on fire. A burning inferno consumes him, the force of which sends him to the ground.

"Ahhhh!"

He screams in pain as the fire recedes. Down and on the ground, he stares up at the starless sky. Out of the darkness suddenly a blood red dragon dive bombs him!

Reacting quickly, Beelzemon throws his arms up and blocks the beast from chomping his entire body apart. One claw blocks the snout and one claw blocks the jaw.

He looks up at Megidramon trying to end his life and swallow him whole. He grumbles to himself, "Not this again!"

* * *

Megadramon has always been a true believer. The Shadow had found him where only darkness laid, brought him into the light, and showed him the meaning of true faith. Power beyond measure, but more important than power he had been given a purpose. To cast all those who oppose them into the shadows. Condemn them to the same fate he had been condemned.

_'Only when we are all in the shadows may we all be free.'_

He zooms towards the tower, quickly approaching firing range. This is his higher calling. This is his fate. This is his true faith, rewarded. Just outside of his missile range, he raises his claws. He sees red.

He sees a lot of red. Crimson, in fact. Flying up to block his view and stop his progress is Gallantmon. He comes to a stop and looks over the Mega's shoulder. He needs a few hundred more feet and he can blow it to hell. He lowers his eyes to meet the enemy.

"We meet again, Boy of Light."

Gallantmon Crimson Mode grips his sword Blutgang and his lance Gungnir. He prepares to attack.

"What is it with you all and talking too much?"

Gallantmon charges his enemy without another word, preventing Megadramon from stalling in any manner.

Gallantmon Crimson Mode swings his lance at Megadramon and narrowly misses! The dragon falls back a moment trying to dodge the attack. He regains himself and banks upward. Takato watches him go a second before giving chase.

* * *

Beelzemon's arms grow weak. All the fighting, the stab wound from Piedmon, now Megidramon bearing down upon him. He struggles under the weight.

"Not how I wanted to go," he says to no one.

"IZUNA!"

Beelzemon never sees it, but four mystical foxes fly at Megidramon and barrel into him. The dragon tries to take one last bite at his enemy before he is shoved back a few dozen yards. The foxes drive further into his wings and body until he tumbles back. He crashes down onto the ground, the foxes pinning him there and draining his energy.

Sakuyamon Maid Mode floats down towards Beelzemon and says, "Your time hasn't come yet, old friend."

Standing up, he brushes himself off and looks solemnly at Sakuyamon. He frowns and says, "I almost killed you once, you remember that?"

Sakuyamon Maid Mode touches down a few feet from him. She looks to her one time enemy and reflects. Rika flashes back to him standing above Kyubimon, about to tear her apart. She replies, "I do."

"I did a lot of things wrong," he says looking down at his right claw. The memories come back to him of the damage he inflicted with just that one hand.

Megidramon stirs to life.

He bawls his claw into a fist, "I'm gonna get this one right."

He raises his fist up above his head.

Megidramon lifts his head, looks around and spots his enemies again. His strength returns to him.

Beelzemon pulls his fist back down to his side. It glows with a golden hue.

"RAWR!"

Megidramon roars to life. With incalculable speed he snakes up and towards the pair. Maw open, a ball of flame builds in his mouth.

"FIST OF THE BEAST KING!"

A golden energy flows out of his fist and envelopes his enemy entirely. The maniac dragon is washed away in the light. As the light fades so does he, disappearing into nothing. A silence settles over the night. Their eyes meet and they stand in the desolate forest as children of the moonlight.

_KA-BOOM!_

Turning their heads towards the city, a massive explosion erupts out of a high rise tower. Although they can't be certain, there is no doubt that it is Hypnos.

"JERI!" Beelzemon shouts.

"Go! Go find her!" Sakuyamon Maid Mode tells him.

"Ah-wha-but what about you?" He asks, distraught.

Sakuyamon turns and looks across the destroyed forest. Reapermon stares at them for another moment longer before stepping away and disappearing into the shadows of the trees.

"I'm gonna get this one right."

Beelzemon nods in acknowledgement, then takes off.

* * *

Megadramon has always been a true believer. But he's losing faith as Gallantmon Crimson Mode gets closer. Takato swings his lance and sword at the fleeing dragon. Megadramon dashes higher up, desperate to escape, but Gallantmon is faster. Megadramon looks down at the Hypnos building.

_'Just need… a clean shot.'_

_Swoosh_

Gallantmon Crimson Mode teleports in front of him! Megadramon tries to stop but his forward momentum is too much. Gallantmon raises Gungnir and he doesn't even have to move. Megadramon can't come to a stop in time. He runs into the lance.

_Slice!_

Gallantmon Crimson Mode grabs hold of the dragon and brings him close, slowly driving the blade further into them. Megadramon looks out over Gallantmon's shoulders into the dark night. He feels pain for a moment. He spots his target.

Gallantmon whispers in his ear, "End of the line. Any last words?"

"A few, yes," he says. Behind his assassin's back, he points his claw. It opens and he shouts, "Dark Side Attack!"

A volley of missiles launch out. They travel rapidly through the air and then connect with Hypnos building! The high rise tower explodes into a ball of flame!

"No!" Gallantmon utters.

He withdraws his lance and Megadramon explodes into data. The last dragon fades to nothing. Crimson paints the night as Gallantmon streaks across the sky towards the building.

* * *

The world is ending in fire.

_Cough cough_

Mitsuo Yamaki staggers through wreckage, struggling to breath and struggling to see. He was on his way back to Kenta when the whole place went up in flames. Now he is coughing from inhaling the rapidly building smoke.

He hunches over and holds a hand up over his head, to both guide him and block out some of the bright flames blinding his vision. He ducks under some knocked over equipment and emerges into an opening.

_Cough_

He has returned to the main entry space of Hypnos. The chairs that were previously self-operating are now consumed in fire. The large screen which used to show emergences is now torn open by the blast and burning down. He sees the body of the teenage boy on the ground nearby and runs to it.

"Kenta! Kenta!" He shakes the body. Mitsuo lowers his head to Kenta's chest and listens.

_Bump bump_

_Bump bump_

His heart beats, which gives Yamaki some relief for a moment but not much. Blown back by the explosion, Kenta had smacked his head on the ground. He is unconscious and lays on the amidst broken glass and shattered electronics.

_Cough_

Yamaki reluctantly leaves the body for a moment and crouches towards a computer monitor that was still on. He tries to read it quickly. To his relief, Juggernaut had not shut down. But any hope of stopping the program 'at the right moment's is now gone. It would simply continue to pull Digimon until it ran out of power.

_'Shit, shit, shit.'_

_Cough cough cough_

Everything was burning. The building, their plans, their hope. Yamaki turns and screams out into the room, "JERI!"

He had hoped she had returned to the main room with Kenta, but she was nowhere to be seen or heard. He has to get her and Kenta out of here. He has to get Janyu's body out of here.

_Cough_

He stands up fully now and runs across the room to the location of the dead man. He looks out around the room. An unconscious teenage boy, a dead man, and a missing girl. Everything ablaze. His entire life's work is destroyed. The world is ending in fire.

_'"... we will take_ everything _from you… "'_

_CRASH_

Part of the ceiling collapses behind him. It falls to the ground and the fire spreads, blocking his only exit. He is trapped. Nowhere to go, nowhere to hide. He coughs into his sleeve, his eyes watering. Smoke building, fire raging, he feels his life slipping away.

_CRASH! CRASH!_

Yamaki hears the ceiling collapse around him again but then a voice.

"Yamaki!"

Turning to face it, he finds Gallantmon Crimson Mode among the wreckage. He fumbles for words and stumbles towards the savior. Landing beside him is an angel of darkness.

"Where is everyone?" Gallantmon asks the blonde man.

_Cough cough_

"Kenta is over there. He's unconscious but alive. And there's," he stutters a moment. This news likely hasn't reached Takato yet. No time to stand on ceremony, "Janyu Wong's body is over here."

Gallantmon moves quickly to retrieve Kenta from the ground. He then steps over computers, desks, and through fire to come near Yamaki. Meanwhile, Beelzemon takes a step towards them and shouts, "Where's Jeri?"

Takato looks down at the body of his best friend's father. He hesitates just a moment but then delicately picks him up and lays him over the shoulder opposite of Kenta.

Yamaki runs his ashen hands through his hair, looks around the room, as if she will just magically reappear. He replies, "I don't know!"

Enraged Beelzemon yells, "WHAT DO YOU MEAN? WHERE IS SHE?"

_Cough_

"I-I-I don't know! She's… I don't know if she's here? I was looking everywhere before the explosion. I can't find her."

Beelzemon turns to Gallantmon and shouts, "We have to find her."

"Beelzemon."

"We can't leave her."

Gallantmon speaks loudly, commandingly, "I agree."

Beelzemon calms down a bit at this, but still his head bobs as he looks around. Gallantmon Crimson Mode goes on, "I will take them out to safety. You stay and look for her-safely! If she's here, you find her. If she's not, you get out before it's too late."

Beelzemon nods in the affirmative. Gallantmon carefully balances the two bodies on his shoulders and then lifts the blonde man off of his feet. Yamaki positions himself to sit in his arms, pressed against the chest of the massive Digimon. Another moment later they slowly float up into the air, escaping the inferno.

As they fly away, Yamaki looks back. The building he had built into a monumental organization, gone up in flames. A part of himself burns with it.

Beelzemon ventures into the smoke and flame, searching for the girl. Part of him hopes to find her. Part of him hopes he doesn't.

* * *

The black expanse of the forest emerges into view. Blemished not with the fires and greasy smoke of the battle raging all around them. The flames in the distance cast a low, orange glow over the trees which she had often traversed with Takato, Renamon, Jeri, Henry, and all the others. The birthplace of her many adventures, the origins of her romance. Happy memories, filling her heart with a pleasant warmth.

He is here, sullying the beautiful woodland of her homeland with his malevolence.

Sakuyamon Maid Mode's eyes flicker about, searching for the pale golden armor to shine in the moonlight. Steps wary as she advances through the night, trudging ever forward. Her steps crunch against fallen leaves and askewn branches.

She twirls her staff in her hands, drowning in the dark. She can sense he is close, even if she can not see him. She tries to draw him out by chiding him, "Here in the forest, dark and deep, I offer _you_ eternal sleep."

A cold, bone-chilling voice speaks to her, "I should've just killed you all when I had the chance."

Sakuyamon circles around, trying to position herself in preparation for his attack. She had seen him disappear into the shadows at the school. She knew he would come for her. She taunts, "So deep our own ghosts won't be able to find us, huh?"

He moves closer to her within the shadows and replies, "Don't worry, just like you and Takato do, I'll keep my promise."

Appearing like morning light over the horizon, Reapermon lunges at Sakuyamon through the shadows! She spins on spot to face him.

_Clang_

Her staff raises to clash against his scythe. They stand inches apart, gritting teeth. A storm rages within, but outside Rika is calm.

"You can bury me in the ground, as deep as you like. But I'll grow back. We always grow back."

With force she shoves him forward, quickly followed by summoning a flurry of cherry blossoms. Matching her speed, Reapermon spins in place for a moment and a slight fire tornado erupts, burning all of the petals upon impact.

Sakuyamon Maid Mode holds her staff with both hands and steps sideways, circling. Reapermon holds his scythe up to eye level, angling it towards her, positioned to charge forward. He steps in the opposite direction as they face off.

"In the shadows you can be whole, Rika. You can be free."

Sakuyamon Maid Mode stops stepping cautiously in a circle. She mimics Reapermon's stance, bringing her feet together, standing defensively, her staff angled towards him.

"I don't need my shadows to be whole. I already am."

He continues to step around her, changing his angle, his armor visible in the dark while the rest of his body disappears into the shadows. He sneers at her.

"You can not separate from your shadow, Rika. It is a part of you." He charges forward, leading with his scythe.

_CRACK_

Lightning shoots down from the sky, into Sakuyamon's staff, and redirects right for him!

His reflexes are too quick. He narrowly dodges the attack with a spin towards her, and then swings his scythe at her!

_Swip_

_Clang_

Matching his swiftness, Sakuyamon Maid Mode deflects his blade with her staff, pushing it down and then throws her fist towards him.

_Smack_

She punches him across the face! His head ricochets and his body recoils, but with his claw hand he pushes her arm away. He bounds off and fades into the shadows once more. Again Sakuyamon steps in a defensive manner, winding around the trees and leaves.

"Forgive yourself, Rika. Let go of the memories and let the shadows wash over you."

Rika's mind flashes to Kazu's smile. His overcompensating 'confidence.' Their adventures around the Digital World. Their card games when she would put him in his place. His bravery in the face of defeat. His bravery in the face of death.

"The memories are what make us who we are."

She stops her stepping and sticks her staff into the ground. A light spreads out from the tip of it, and a bubble of pink energy begins forming around her.

"The light and the dark should not fight," he whispers to her from nowhere. "They should be joined."

He braces to charge. He prepares to deliver the killing blow.

"I agree," she replies, menacingly.

Like lightning appearing before the thunder, Reapermon appears in the air above her. He brings his scythe down.

"Amethyst Mandala!"

The bubble around her explodes out, the ground around her erupts with light. The force of the blow sends Reapermon several feet back. His strength and speed allow him to course-correct though, so he lands on his feet. His chest armor burns and singes with the fire of her light. They stand yards apart and stare at one another, arms at the side, passive.

"Look around you. It's going to take you years to recover from all of the damage."

Sakuyamon Maid Mode takes in the sights and sounds. All around her the park burns. The Hypnos building has gaping holes in it. A war wages and in the night, her entire city is being terrorized by this battle.

_THUD!_

Landing softly on a hill nearby, Justimon looks on at the two fighters squaring off. Reapermon groans in frustration.

"Another Tamer?" He asks. Justimon nods to him. "You all grow like weeds. This is why you need me. Someone to tend to the garden. Someone to pull the weeds out before they can spread. Someone who knows when to break… and burn… and end."

Justimon changes his footing and shakes his head once in disagreement, "Yeah, no, thanks, I'm honored to be part of your weird evil guy metaphor. But I know when I'm outclassed. If the three of them couldn't beat you together, I'm not all of a sudden going to win the game with one warp digivolve card."

Both Reapermon and Sakuyamon Maid Mode look at him oddly. Reapermon cocks his head to the side and spits out, "Then what do you want, boy?"

"I have an idea," he turns away from Reapermon and faces Rika, "Sakuyamon, remember when you gave me all of your power so we could fight the D Reaper?'

Sakuyamon scoffs, "Are you serious? Or has the fighting gone to your head again?"

"Oh, I'm very serious. This time though," he says with a smirk. "I'm giving _you_ all of _my_ power."

Reapermon has been holding serve to this point. Giving her even more power is not a very appealing thought. Sakuyamon savors this idea a moment. Justimon goes on, "I can't help you kill him, but with our combined power, you can give this guy something to really howl about."

Sakuyamon Maid Mode turns to him and asks, "I thought I didn't need your help?"

He chuckles at the memory from their exchange earlier, "I just want to contribute, honestly."

"Not sure I can talk you out of this, huh?"

He smiles, "No way."

He holds up his cyborg arm in front of him and closes his eyes. He is surrounded by a grey ball of energy, red rings orbiting around it. "All the power of my body…"

Reapermon will not allow this. He dashes forward at the defenseless Tamer.

"... my soul…"

Sakuyamon Maid Mode cuts him off and raises her staff up, which collides with his chest. He falls backwards onto the ground.

"... my mind…"

As he lands on the ground several yards away, he points his grapple cannon and fires.

"... I now send to you…"

_Clang_

Sakuyamon deflects the grapple into the ground.

"... all the strength within my heart…"

Sakuyamon Maid Mode steps on the grapple chain just as he tries to retract it. The chain yanks, but goes nowhere under her weight. She smirks at her enemy.

"... my spirit to you, I now freely give."

The energy ball around him floats away and moves towards her. It floats away from her body and towards her holy staff. The ball shrinks and then envelopes her staff in its energy.

Sakuyamon Maid Mode feels all of Justimon's power surge into the staff. She rises up slightly, off of the ground for a moment. Reapermon takes advantage of this moment and retracts his grapple. Sakuyamon lands back on her feet as electricity pulses up and down her staff.

"Just beautiful," Reapermon starts saying condescendingly. "You know, deep down, Kazu just wants to be with his friends again. So I guess I'll have to kill all of you. That way you can all be together again."

Sakuyamon twirls her empowered staff in her hands. She looks up at the Shadow with a twinkle in her eyes.

"I'm starting to see what Takato meant," she says. She bends her knees, "You talk too much."

_Swoosh_

She teleports to being in front of him.

_Smack!_

With one swing she whips him across the face and he goes tumbling a few feet away. He turns back to face her, a little blood dripping from the corner of his mouth. Fire in his eyes, rage building in his body. Sakuyamon stands opposed, all of the love and pain in her heart giving her the Maid Mode. All of Justimon's power in her sacred broom. They charge towards one another.

* * *

_Clang_

_Thud_

Reapermon jabs at Sakuyamon with his scythe, but she deflects it away with her staff. She follows this up swiftly with her own jab to his chest. Her staff may consist of ribbons, but each individual ribbon strikes him like sharp, heavy diamonds.

He steps back away from her and looks down. Through the moonlight hue he sees cracks in his pale golden chest armor. He scowls at her then begins spinning in place quickly. Sakuyamon knows what comes next and advances on him. A fire starts erupting around him.

"BURNING CYC-"

With swiftness, she sticks the tip of her staff between his legs. He trips over the pole and tumbles to the ground! He rolls over the tree roots, bumping along the way. He lifts his head to look at his enemy.

_Smack!_

Once again Sakuyamon whips her staff at him. He groans on the floor. If Reapermon were human, these multiple blows would have incapacitated him by now. But he is neither human nor a typical Digimon. He is wrath. He is the antidote to life. He rises up.

Sakuyamon steps away from him. She notices for the first time that something is happening in the sky. The wormhole from earlier now spun in the opposite direction. Low level digimon, fighting for both the dark and light side, are pulled up and away. Sakuyamon herself feels a certain pull. Something trying to lift her off her feet, but not quite strong enough yet. Rika knows that as long as she remains as Sakuyamon, she can keep them here.

_THUD!_

Landing across from Sakuyamon is MegaGargomon. Henry is overjoyed to see Rika playing with him. While he lies face-down, she stands and walks away, looking into the distance. MegaGargomon watches Reapermon's body slowly rise up off the ground. He stands in the distance between Henry and Rika. He breathes heavily, his shoulders rising and falling in quick succession.

Reapermon dashes forward, his emotions getting the better of him. But Sakuyamon Maid Mode gets the best of him. He tries to backhand swing his scythe at her. She expertly leans back to dodge it. As she does so she waves her hand in front of her. He is wide open for a moment.

"Izuna!"

Her foxes fly out of her bag and crash into his spreadeagle body. He is knocked back far, still finding a way to land on his feet. He stumbles as he takes a step back. He quickly develops a plan to disappear into the shadows and try to surprise her again. As he lands, he turns to disappear.

_Smack!_

Reapermon had landed right in front of MegaGargomon. As he tries to escape, he's met instead with a punch to the chest from the bunny titan. His chest armor cracks further and he takes a step back for a second, dazed by the blow.

_Thud_

Seizing the opportunity, Henry swings his leg up and kicks the monster. He crumbles to the ground, a heap on the floor.

_THUD!_

Landing softly on the forest floor, Gallantmon Crimson Mode arrives on the scene carrying three passengers. Yamaki, cupped in his arms, drops down first. He assists Gallantmon by taking Kenta's unconscious body into his arms. Gingerly, the crimson knight places Janyu's body on the ground as well. When he finishes, he stands tall, and turns to face the ongoing fight.

Even in the limited light though, Henry sees clear as day the blue hair. He leaves his place standing near Reapermon and approaches Gallantmon.

"Henry, wait-"

"Is that my Dad?"

"Henry, I don't-"

"What happened to my Dad! Is he okay?"

Gallantmon Crimson Mode approaches him, arms extended to try and ward his friend away.

MegaGargomon swats the hands away and tries to move past him. Gallantmon holds his arms and uses his body to block him out. MegaGargomon's voice cracks, "What happened to my Dad?"

Yamaki looks up at the mega towering over him. He shakes his head lightly and says, "He-he's gone, Henry. The Shadow killed him before we ever got to Hypnos."

A wildfire of rage and fury ignites with Henry. Behind him, laboring, The Shadow stands again. He breathes heavily still, trying to find a point of attack. He senses a tide changing. He feels the anger rising. He smiles as MegaGargomon turns to face him.

"Henry, WAIT!" Gallantmon tries to grab him but it's too late.

MegaGargomon charges forward. Just as he's about to arrive, Reapermon uses his speed to dodge the fist. He uses his momentum against him, kicking his leg out and tripping him as he goes by.

_Swip!_

He swings his scythe and clips MegaGargomon's back! His scythe stops the momentum and keeps him stuck in place, on his knees, in front of him. Reapermon reaches up and grips Henry's head with his claw hand. He takes a long breath as Henry pants under him. Scythe in his back, hand crushing his head, Reapermon feels in control again.

"Oh Henry, what a shame," he says, as all but one of them stand stock still. The last one puts a silent plan into action. "What will become of Suzy without her father _and_ her brother?"

Reapermon dislodges his scythe and holds it to his neck. Henry feels his chest heaving, his heart racing, his life flashes before his eyes. Reapermon sneers, "I suppose she'll have to learn to obey as well."

Before he can raise his scythe, a tinge of pink light leaks into his view. It spreads out across earth beneath him. He knows this light. He has seen this before. He panics and reacts quickly.

_Thud_

In one fluid motion, he kicks MegaGargomon's body away and then turns to Sakuyamon and points his grapple cannon. She is channeling all of her power into her staff, preparing her Amethyst Mandala attack. She watches him spin to face her and just barely dodges the grapple, as it rockets over her shoulder.

With a mental command though, he retracts the grapple backwards. Sakuyamon stops in place and stands as an easy target. The grapple flies back towards Reapermon and crashes into her back shoulder!

"Ahhh!" She screams.

The grapple pulls her towards him, taking her off her feet and she travels through the night. He raises his scythe, finally pulling in his prey.

"Come Rika, the shadows await!"

_Slice!_

A streak of red flashes across them and Sakuyamon lands on her feet. The chain continues retracting until it returns into his cannon, without the gatling itself. Reapermon looks down at his cannon, and up at Sakuyamon, still several yards away. She peers over her shoulder at the gatling still lodged in her back.

Slowly he raises his head and looks at the Crimson knight. Wielding his Blutgang sword, he turns back to face the Shadow. He stands tall and triumphant. He whispers across the night, "Not today."

He had dashed between them and sliced the chain. Reapermon's gatling cannon is useless. His enemies are alive. His rage is exploding. The adrenaline pushes his own pain aside, as he charges at Gallantmon Crimson Mode.

From the sidelines Sakuyamon Maid Mode watches. She leans forward and carefully pulls the gatling out of her back. After removing it she joins Justimon in rushing to tend to MegaGargomon.

Reapermon swings his scythe and each blow is expertly parried by Gallantmon. They dance around each other for several seconds, Reapermon exerting his brute force, and Gallantmon playing defensively. He lets the Shadow use all of his stamina and strength on his frontal assault. Nothing comes close to damaging Takato.

After a few seconds, Reapermon uses his claw hand and pushes him back, creating much needed separation. His labored breathing catches up to him again. His superhuman strength and speed are betraying him. So many unforeseen obstacles have come in his way. His options are running low for how to turn the tide.

Justimon tends to MegaGargomon, while Sakuyamon stands guard over the two and watches the battle going on.

The Shadow taunts, "Are you really ready to kill Kazu again?"

He attempts to tap into Takato's guilt, but it goes nowhere. He holds a defensive stance, prepared for any incoming assault and decrees, "You once told me to not let my loved ones become a poison in my veins. I had to learn the hard way, but I did learn."

"Perhaps now I can teach you a new lesson," Reapermon says. He puts his arms at his side now, "This time when I kill you, stay dead!"

Reapermon sinks into the shadows on the ground and disappears from view. Gallantmon holds his defensive stance for a moment, peering around for what could come next. He steps cautiously towards MegaGargomon and company.

Suddenly, the shadows all around him reach out and grab hold of him! He is paralyzed on the spot and instantly attempts to break free, but to no avail. Materializing out of nowhere, Reapermon appears behind him and raises his scythe above his head! He brings it down!

_Clang_

A thin piece of chrome digizoid blocks out Reapermon's scythe. He follows the source and finds his previous opponent waiting. Sakuyamon Maid Mode had seen his move before and was prepared this time.

_Thud_

Before he can react though, she raises her leg and kicks him in the knee. This moment of pain breaks his concentration and frees Gallantmon Crimson Mode! He spins around and swings his Blutgang at him while Sakuyamon attacks with her staff.

_Clang_

_Clang_

Reapermon summons all of his stamina. With lightning speed he parries the blow from each one of them. He calculates an escape, but each strategy has flaws, and their movements grow faster as he backs away from the two Megas attacking him.

_Clang_

_Clang_

_Clang_

_Clang_

_Thud_

He finally gets an opening and kicks Gallantmon away for a moment but leaves himself exposed.

_Smack!_

Sakuyamon jabs him in the left shoulder, which cracks and breaks his armor. He steps back, exposing himself further. Gallantmon recovers, Sakuyamon steps forward. Reapermon throws his scythe up sideways.

_CLANG_

Reapermon holds the scythe sideways and pushes with all of his power against them. Gallantmon and Sakuyamon both push their weapons into his blade. The great lovers stand opposed to the reaper. Their bond, their love, keeping him at bay.

"RAGH!" He shouts.

With all of his strength he pushes toward Gallantmon, and sends them both back. Gallantmon loses his balance and falls backwards onto the ground.

His claw hand reaches up as Sakuyamon goes off balance as well and grabs her long grey hair. With a great effort he pulls and twists and spins her to the ground with a toss. Sakuyamon rolls several feet away, and stays down for a moment.

Reapermon heaves and huffs. He has both opponents on the ground for the moment. He should summon his shadows to trap them, or step towards them and end them. He needs to focus to trap them, or rush to attack them. He needs to do something. He needs to breathe. He needs to catch his breath. He doesn't see the figure moving in the shadows.

"MEGA BARRAGE!"

Reapermon only has enough time to raise his arms up into an 'X' in front of himself. This doesn't block the damage or stop the attack at all. He gets completely smoked by it and stumbles back a step or two. The armor all over his body cracks and falls off. He stays standing, but he has been hit hard.

The Shadow looks around. Gallantmon stands back up and valiantly opposes him. MegaGargomon steps out of the shadows and into the glow of the moonlight. Sakuyamon stays down, while Justimon appears. Despite everything, his army of darkness, his best efforts to kill them, only the girl lies down. They all stand and oppose him, relatively unphased. Untouched, while he cracks and bleeds. With no grapple and no stamina. He grows hysterical.

_THUD!_

Beelzemon lands in the clearing. He observes that they seem to have it under control and this pleases him. But he does not come bearing good news, "She wasn't there, Takato. I searched the whole building before it went up in smoke. She must have left or gone somewhere else, but she wasn't there."

Gallantmon turns to his friend and replies, "Hopefully she's okay. Thank you for looking for her. We'll find her after we're done here."

_'"After we're done here?" Like I'm some sort of box they're going to check off?'_

"Ugh," a low voice speaks.

Reapermon's eyes turn to the girl in the dirt. Sakuyamon stirs and groans. She rolls for a second.

Beleaguered, the Shadow yells at her, "Why won't you die? You're down. STAY DOWN!"

"I rise and therefore I am not dead…"

Slowly, Sakuyamon stands. She shone brightly in the moonlight. She stands proudly and stares into the face of death.

"... Because all the dead lie down."

"ARRGHHH!" Reapermon lets out an animalistic grunt and charges wildly forward.

_Clang_

_Smack!_

He attempts to bring his scythe down upon her but she easily deflects it away. She follows this without hesitation with a blow to his head. The armor on his face cracks. He leans forward involuntarily.

_Thud_

She brings her knee up into his stomach. With quick movements, Sakuyamon grabs his blade arm then sweeps his legs out from underneath him. He falls to the ground at her feet, as she holds his scythe.

"I thought you were a formidable man…"

She twists his blade and body away from each other using just her left hand. His arm pulls up and out of the socket and he lets out a choked gasp at the pain.

". . . but you're dying like any Digimon."

_Crack!_

With one swift swing, Sakuyamon's staff shatters the blade of his scythe! It cracks apart until it falls to pieces on the ground. She spins the arm away from her body and he lies down.

He sits up and when he does he is faced with his ending. Sakuyamon Maid Mode holds the diamond-like ribbon end of her staff against his neck. Gallantmon Crimson Mode stands on her right and holds his sword, Blutgang, up to his throat. MegaGargomon stands on her left and aims the miniguns on his wrists at his head.

He sighs and looks up into the night sky. Starless and hopeless, he watches as even the strongest soldiers of darkness and light are pulled away. His dragons are slain. His army forcibly retreating. His gatling and chain cut off. His scythe shattered where he laid. He himself grows translucent now. His time has come. He, too, will be pulled away momentarily.

He thinks of the ocean. He thinks of how he has traveled so far, just like the waves. And yet they always are stilled. They are always taught to obey. Here is where his proud wave has been stilled.

Shuttering like rain, his defeated Reapermon body changes and transforms. He shrinks down and returns to his base form. He returns to Kazu, and sits at the razor's edge of his enemy's blades. Looking up at them all, he smiles. "Well, this was a lot fun. I'll look forward to the next time we meet."

Gallantmon replies, "There won't be a next time for you."

He looks up at the crimson knight and shakes his head. "Oh, sure there will! As you said, I think we're destined to do this forever! I was the Darkness' failsafe, and I won't be defeated this easily."

MegaGargomon roars at him, "There won't be any failsafes this time. We're going to extinguish you from both worlds. Wherever you hide, I'll hunt you down myself."

"That won't be necessary, Henry. I'll come back. Right, Rika? We can always come back. No matter how far deep you bury me."

Sakuyamon tries to calm them all, "He's stalling for some reason. He has nothing."

"You see, that's where you're wrong. We're all only as strong as our weakest link," He smiles. He let's this dangle for a moment. "So when I come back I'm not sure who I'll come as next time. Kazu… or Jeri?"

There is a stunned silence. The three of them may hold the guillotine over his head, but he holds their attention. He holds all the power. He chuckles at them.

"Haha… you didn't think that I'd risk this battle for your souls to a fist fight with a bunch of Digidestined, did you?"

Sakuyamon is alarmed. They are all alarmed. She mutters in disbelief, almost rhetorically, "What did you do?"

Kazu pushes himself up off the ground and stands before them. "No, you need an ace in the hole. Mine is Jeri Katou."

He takes a step back, waves his hand to the side and twinkles his fingers. The shadows around him recedes and reveals the small brunette girl, on her knees, at his feet, facing all of them. She desperately looks up at them and panic sets in immediately.

"Rika, I'm so sorry!" Her voice cracking and wheezing. "Please Rika! Please, Rika, just kill me. Please, I don't want him to use me to hurt any of you. Just kill me."

With a single mental command, the shadows run across her mouth and gag her.

"You heard her, Rika," he smirks at them all. "She wants this. She _asks_ for this."

Suddenly but surely, Kazu and Jeri are lifted off the ground. They are being pulled back to the Digital World by Juggernaut.

Takato shouts at him, "No, I won't let you do this!"

MegaGargomon and Gallantmon move forward and try to grab both of them. Their hands slip through Jeri like hands through a faucet. Like trying to grab a shadow. They are powerless to prevent it.

Gallantmon turns back to Yamaki, "How do we stop it? We can't let him take her back."

Kenta finally stirs to life but Yamaki throws his hands up. "We can't! There's nothing we can do now. He blew the building up, we can't stop it."

"There has to be something we can do!" MegaGargomon shouts at the blonde. "We can't let him take her again!"

The Shadow floats a foot or two off the ground and looks directly at Sakuyamon. "She wants to die, Rika. Who are you to deny her that?"

He sneers at them all. "Tell me, in your scattered minds, have you become the hero? Am I the villain?" He allows a dramatic pause as his question sinks in.

"When will you realize you're all trapped. You're just repeating the same stories. As long as you continue to fight you will never escape the past. You will never be free."

_THUD!_

Beelzemon swoops in and stops beside MegaGargomon. He holds his fists up in balls and tries to will his strength into her, "JERI! FIGHT IT! You can fight it!"

"If she could fight it, she'd be free by now. But she can't." The Shadow tells him. He then turns back to Sakuyamon again, "She will die alone. As will you, Rika. As will all of you."

Jeri cries uncontrollably now. She begs them to kill her, but nothing escapes her gag. No hope, no escape. She watches them all drift off as she floats further away with Kazu.

On the ground, Rika's mind races. She watches them get higher up, several feet now, almost ten feet high.

Renamon speaks to her, _'Rika, what do we do?'_

_'I… don't know.'_

The Shadow smiles malevolently. He taunts them, "This is it, Digidestined. Everything has led you to this moment. _This_ is your fate."

Time slows down. Rika catches a glimpse of the moon. In the empty void of the night sky, it stood as a candle in the abyss.

_'... Don't_ _delude yourself into thinking that light or dark are the only answers…'_

_'... The light won't solve everything for you. Sometimes you need a different tool…'_

_'... but we make the ripples. We throw the stones…'_

Even inside of Sakuyamon, Rika feels the ice cool breeze against the back of her neck. She hears the water drip behind her.

_Drop_

The Ocean calls to her. She is not transported this time though. She hears the waves crashing. She feels the wind blowing. She knows now what Kari and Ken meant. The tag and crest around her neck glow to life again. She must be like the wave, and crash. Return to the ocean.

_'We make our own fate.'_

Time resumes. The world spins on. The Shadow and Jeri float twelve feet high. She speaks to her oldest friend, _'Renamon, I know what to do. Do you trust me?'_

_'Of course I do.'_

_'Good. Then we have to separate.'_

_'But Rika, if we de-digivolve, I'll get pulled away too.'_

_'I know, I know. But I have to. She needs me and I promised her. And besides, it's like he said… this is my fate.'_

Sakuyamon Maid Mode glows in light for a moment and then shrinks quickly down and separates into two forms. Renamon is barely on the ground a moment before she is lifted up. She remains next to Rika, but creeps ever further away. All of the light surrounding Rika does not fade though. She maintains it, and it emanates from her Crest of Fate.

The others all around her look in shock and confusion. Their most powerful warrior has just willingly surrendered her form. What's more, Rika is glowing, truly glowing with a bright light that stood in stark contrast to the dark of night. She stands in her blood stained kimono and scarlet vermillion pants she had intended to wear to the dance.

She looks up at the Shadow, who stares at her with distraught wonder. She calls up to him, "I get it now. I finally understand."

He looks now with disbelief. He blinks several times and the corner of his mouth twitches. His head shakes and he mutters, "So you've finally learned, Tamer?"

Rika reaches up to the tag around her neck. She speaks to The Shadow and no one else, "We are the sum of all of our parts. The good, and the bad," she rips the tag off of her neck. She looks down at it. The light grows brighter. "The light, and the dark."

Her head jerks up and looks directly at him. He floats higher. The lilac of her eyes burns down the brown of his.

"Us… and our shadows!"

She lifts the tag up high above her head. It's light stretches out from the source and heads directly for Kazu and Jeri. He holds his hand up to shade his eyes from the light but nothing stops it from coming. The light envelops both of them. Something dark starts being pulled from their bodies. The Crest of Fate's light and the Shadows' darkness share a massive tug-of-war in the night sky. The shadows within Kazu and the shadows holding Jeri hostage are pulled out and off of them. The Crest of Fate wins the tug and all of the darkness flies towards Rika and into the crest.

Rika feels like there's enough energy in the crest that she could power the entire city. Electricity runs up and down her arm. She pulls down the crest toward her and stares at it. It pulsates with light and dark energy. She holds it in the palm of her hand. Kazu and Jeri float up above still. Rika closes her palm and fist around the crest-and crushes it in her hand.

In that singular instant, Rika feels all of its power surge through her. She feels the light and the dark. All the love and all of the pain. All the warmth and all of the heartache. All of the power of The Shadow and the Crest of Fate flow through her.

_'I am everything that has led me to this moment.'_

The singular moment passes. The translucence that consumed Kazu and Jeri fades. They become whole again, and they fall from the sky.

Gallantmon moves underneath him and catches Kazu's lifeless body. There is no breath in his body, no beat in his heart. He is gone. Just as he was when The Darkness turned him to stone, he is dead.

Rika rushes forward and bends at the knees. She puts her hands out in a basket. Jeri's body lands forcefully in her arms. She stands up to her full height. Rika feels dizzy and lightheaded. She looks down at the brunette in her arms.

Jeri slowly opens her eyes. She stares up into lilac hues and fallen, ginger hair. Rika smiles down at her friend. Resting in her arms, Jeri looks up at her savior for a moment. Then her eyes roll into the back of her head.

Renamon floats a foot or so off the ground but cheers, "You did it, Rika. You did it!"

Rika's knees buckle. She starts to collapse. She falls to both knees and kneels on the forest floor. Carefully, slowly, she drops Jeri down, paying attention to her head and resting her on the ground.

Once Jeri is down, she looks at her hands. They shake violently. She tries to crawl away from Jeri. She doesn't get far before she feels her chest tighten suddenly and painfully. She collapses to the ground and rolls onto her back to stare at the sky.

_Huff huff… huff… huff_

Rika draws sharp, difficult breaths. Her eyes begin to close as her chest tightens further. Takato appears in her vision, hunched over her. He takes her into his arms and says,

"Hey, I've got you. We've all got-"

He keeps talking but she can't hear him anymore. He looks down at her, tears in his eyes. Others scurry around them to get help. Rika looks past him. Renamon floats away. Guilmon floats away. One by one, she watches the million points of light return. Slowly she watches the stars return to the night sky.

Rika lies down. Her eyelids grow heavy. Once again she stares into the void. Her eyes close.

She feels pain for a moment.

And then she feels nothing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: A very long, but hopefully very fulfilling chapter. Thought about splitting it after Yamaki's rescue/before Rika's showdown with the Shadow, but decided to just push onward. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed writing it. Once more unto the breach! This Chapter's OST is "Cosmic Love" by Florence + The Machine.
> 
> Love always. Rukato forever.
> 
> Notorious


	17. Autumn Ends

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rika and Jeri say goodbye.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Part of the journey is the end. Love and be loved. Read… and review!

**Autumn Ends**

Rika Nonaka is falling. She sees many lights. _'Green, red, blue, white. Lights.'_ Everything is so bright that she is blinded. She shuts her eyes and then feels it.

_THUD! splash_

Rika has landed very suddenly. She opens her eyes and finds herself ankle deep in water. The water is not exactly blue though, instead a mix of purple and a deep navy. All around her, the sky, the horizon, it is the same shade of purple and deep navy. She knows this place. She remembers it. She dreamt of being in this place, just the other night.

_'Not a dream. A nightmare.'_

Rika has lived her waking nightmare and come out the other side. But what and where is this other side? This place is gorgeous, but still she wonders _, 'Where have I come to?'_

For the first time she notices that she is holding something. It is wooden. She blinks and realizes it is the empty rowboat again. She looks to her right and isn't surprised. She is holding this small boat, in ankle-deep purple water, at the edge of a waterfall. She knows what awaits her when she turns back to her left.

She doesn't look back. She looks down at the rushing water and the black abyss below. She doesn't want to see who is in the boat. Would it be Takato again? Or Jeri? Maybe her father is watching her from the other side? Or would she see herself?

A cold, calm hand is placed on top of hers. Her eyes are drawn to it and then follow the arm to the source. A boy with a visor and tall brown hair sits cross-legged in the boat. He says nothing at first, but his warm blue eyes welcome her.

"Kazu?"

"Hello Rika."

The memories strike her like a rush of wind. Tentatively she asks him, "Is it really–"

"In the flesh," he says, trying to comfort her with a smile. "Well, sort of anyway."

Rika keeps a firm grasp on the boat. She wants to release it. She wants to embrace him. But she knows if she lets go, the boat will rock forward and edge closer to the waterfall. A mix of emotions sweep across. Her memory banks around all that's happened. She notices that she again wears the blood soaked kimono and scarlet pants. She averts her eyes and hangs her head.

"Kazu. There are so many things…"

Her hands begin to shake and threaten her grasp on the boat anyway. She has so much pain in her heart. She wants to wipe her slate. She wants to say exactly the right thing and mean it. She wants to impart on him his importance and the gap that he leaves behind.

He squeezes her hand. "Rika, it's fine. I'm okay with what's happening. I told Takato that too. You've given me what I always wanted…"

She looks up at him, hands shaking, tears welling. He tries to comfort her from his rowboat seat. He wears a sad smile, "I can finally rest now."

Rika let's a few tears slide down her cheeks, as a broken smile dawns across her face. A surge of guilt exits Rika. She breathes a slow, deep breath. She looks down at her hands as they shake violently out of control now. She tries to still them.

She could, and so she did.

She looks around a second and takes in the surroundings. There are rolling verdant hills in the distance. The purple haze permeates everything around her. She turns to her right, sees the deep void of the waterfall, but then looks up. For the first time, she sees what extends out.

The waterfall drops down into the abyss, but a different abyss waits out into the distance. The vast expanse of space unfurls before her. A dark canvas of the ever expanding galaxy branches out before her. It is awe inspiring and terrifying. In the distance she sees stars and galaxies she could never hope to reach.

Without looking away she asks him, "Where are we?"

Kazu ponders it a moment and then ventures, "I'm not quite sure. But if I had to guess, I'd say we're at the Event Horizon."

Uncertain if she heard right, Rika tentatively turns back to him. "The Event Horizon?"

"Effectively it's the point of no return," he says, still staring out. "Once you travel onward, the gravity of it is so strong that nothing can escape."

His eyes shift to look into hers, "Not light, not darkness. Once you move forward from here, there is no turning back."

Absentmindedly she nods and mutters to herself, "The Event Horizon."

She turns back towards Kazu and now looks beyond him. The river she stands in extends further back than she can see. The deep navy and purple water, encased by verdant rolling hills are something out of a painting. Her eyes are drawn to something further to the left. A small dock extends out into the river and standing on the dock are a male and female figure. Rika's eyes open wide as she recognizes them.

"Wait, Kazu, wait, what are they doing here?"

Kazu turns back in the boat and looks to the shore. There on the dock he sees Janyu Wong and Jeri Katou. He replies nonchalantly, "You'll have to talk to them yourself."

Rika's eyes dart back to Kazu, and the boat, and her hands holding it steady. If she goes to talk to them she'd have to leave his boat. She asks him, "But what happens if I let go of you?"

"I'll move on," he replies with a soft smile.

Rika wants to object, but she isn't sure what to say.

His eyes connect with hers. He tells her, "We all have to eventually, Rika."

This sad realization takes root in her mind. Like a warm blanket, acceptance settles over her. Her eyes dance about, looking inside the boat, looking at the hills, looking at the endless horizon of stars and far away planets. Staring into the deep void of the waterfall that awaits him if she lets go.

She looks back at him and asks, "What if I'm not ready to let you go?"

He smiles wider at this, "We can stay a while, but I'll go eventually, whether you want me to or not. We don't get to choose what stays and what fades away."

Rika ponders this a moment. Riddled with apprehension she asks him, "Well, can I stay here with you for a while then?"

He nods somberly and says, "For a while. Then you'll need to decide if you want to stay or go."

A little surprised, Rika asks him, "But you just said I can't choose?"

He nods his head more vigorously this time, "That's true, we don't. But you _do_ get to choose when you move on. And only you can choose that."

And so they stay a while. Rika stands in the waters, steadfastly holding his boat, keeping it from the abyss. They don't say anything to each other, but just take up the time. Rika let's her mind ease, and just basks in the beauty of the Event Horizon. It is quiet for the first time in a long time, and she finds it energizing. She is reassured by the silence. Just being around him gives her peace.

Finally, something tells Rika it is time. She is ready. She is sad, but she accepts it. She turns to him with a broken smile and tells him, "I know what happens next."

"Do you?" He says, earnestly surprised.

"I had a dream about this."

"Huh," he says and looks away. He thinks a moment and then says, "I'm not sure any of us really know what happens next. But I'm excited to find out. I've been waiting so long to find out. And now I'm here, right on the edge of it."

With his use of the word 'edge,' Rika looks back down the waterfall, into the darkness. She turns back to him, and he now matches her broken smile. Emotions are overcoming him. He says to her, "We're all born, and we all die, Rika. What matters is what happens in between. But I don't think anyone ever really dies. I think there's another great adventure waiting for us afterwards."

Rika swells with emotion. Tears threaten to break free, but she keeps them back like she holds the boat back. She asks him, "Is-is there anything you want me to tell your family or Takato or anyone else? If I go back, I mean."

Kazu's eyes water but like Rika, he does not cry. He shakes his head, "No, I already spoke to Takato on the dock a while ago. He knows everything now, so you can move on if you want. I just wanted him to tell my family I love them. That's all I really want."

Rika sniffles and shakes her head. She looks away and then back to his eyes, then away again. Finally she takes one finally dive into his ocean blues and says, "Goodbye Kazu."

He smiles right back into her lilac eyes and replies, "Goodbye Rika."

She releases the boat and steps away from it. It rocks ever forward, towards the waterfall. It bobs up and down and begins to tip over the edge. Rika holds her hand up to her mouth to cover her sob.

But the boat doesn't tip over the edge. It drifts forward, off of the top water. It rocks on, through space. It goes onwards towards the distant stars and galaxies. As if the water extends on forever, the boat continues on and Kazu sits perfectly still in it, never turning back. Rika stays a while, watching him drift away into the abyss. At last she shakes her head in amazement, and turns to face the shore.

* * *

Rika trudges through the water and comes to the dock. She steps up onto it and Janyu Wong stands before her, smiling.

"Rika! Welcome!" He greets her.

He opens his arms wide, catching Rika off guard. Nonetheless, she embraces him. Jeri stands in the background, visibly nervous and not even acknowledging that Rika is here.

"So, have you come to join us?" He asks, pulling the hug back but holding her still.

Another small boat drifts forward, seeming to appear out of nowhere. It comes to a rest up against the dock. Rika turns to face it then looks back at Mr. Wong. "I'm… not sure yet."

He closes his eyes and nods his head, his glasses dropping down his nose. "Of course. It's a tough decision. But I know I've made up my mind."

He steps towards her and she steps out of his way. He carefully steps into the boat and sits down. He grips the dock and so it stays. Rika walks to the end of the dock and looks stunned.

"You're moving on?"

"Yes, I am, Rika. It's my time."

"Bu-but what about Henry? And your family?"

He looks at her with sad eyes. He looks away a moment and then back at Rika, "If you go back, please tell him I love him. Tell them all that I'm sorry I didn't have more time with them."

Rika stands on the edge of the dock herself and implores him, "You can tell them yourself if you go back."

He shakes his head. He has done the math. She is too young to understand. He tells her, "I can't, Rika. The living need to bury the dead, or else the dead will bury the living."

Rika is stunned by this comment. It comes from nowhere and she isn't sure what to say in response. Janyu knows she wouldn't understand now, but in time she will learn. His arm grows tired from holding the dock as the boat tries to drag him forward. He tells her, "The sooner I move on, the sooner I'll see all of them again."

Rika is too shocked by his decisiveness. Such a difficult decision and he made it without hesitation. Kazu made it without hesitation.

_'Why do I hesitate?'_

"Please tell my family, Rika. If you go back, please tell them those things."

She comes out of her trance and looks at the blue haired adult in his tiny rowboat. She shakes her head and he smiles broadly in response.

"Goodbye Rika."

He releases his grip and the boat rocks forward and he drifts out. Rika watches as he drops off of the waterfall and, just like Kazu, he drifts out into the edge of universe.

* * *

Rika hears the dock creak behind her. Before she can turn around, two rowboats appear on the river and approach the dock. She watches them each come to a rest, side by side, in front of her.

She turns to face her brunette friend. Jeri Katou stands before her a defeated woman. She wears the same midnight blue dress she had planned to wear to the dance, although it is frayed at the bottom now. She can't quite stand still, swapping the weight of her feet from one foot to the other. She doesn't look right at Rika, nor at the boats, nor the water. She looks out at the rolling verdant hills, then out at the cosmos, at Mr. Wong's shrinking boat. Rika says nothing, trying to wait to hear what Jeri wants to say first.

Jeri's eyes finally turn to the two boats on the dock, barely a few steps away. She doesn't look at Rika but asks, "Do we have to get in?"

Rika tries to sooth her with a calm, controlled voice, "Do you want to?"

"I don't know." She replies quickly. She fidgets with her hands, shifting her weight again to the other foot.

Rika pushes off the decision a little longer, but tells her, "If we want to move on we can."

Jeri finally buries her brown eyes into Rika's lilac ones. She asks her, "Can we do it together?"

Rika pauses. Jeri is terrified of what is happening. Rika does not want her friend to be alone. But she needs to think about it herself too. She asks her, "We can, but do you want to?"

Jeri looks away, and replies again, "I don't know." She pauses and then a question rises to her mind. She turns to Rika and asks her, "What do you want?"

The time to decide has come. Rika has spent so much time recently thinking about death. For most of her life, the concept of her death felt more like a memory rather than a moment she had yet to face. She has faced death in many ways, forms, and fashions. From her father, to her own in the Digital World, all the way until this moment, death has always been a part of her life. Like an old friend, she had hoped to greet it when it was her time. She thought she would be ready. She thought she would walk hand-in-hand alongside it.

_'Maybe I still can?'_

She can go bravely. She can smile and face death, and hold Jeri's hand and slowly drift off into the void. She can go with grace. She can go with Jeri, her friend who has seen just as much death. They can do it together. They can move on.

A pair of almond eyes flash in her memory.

The long, sweeping red hair of a woman wrapping her in a bear hug.

The wisdom of an older woman trying to guide her through rebellious stages.

Standing before Rika is Jeri Katou, her best friend and a girl for whom she has much affection. She would give anything to assure Jeri that everything is going to be okay. She would give anything to grant her peace. To go with her on this journey.

But Rika can't. The memories of her family, the memory of Takato, of her mother, and her grandmother all come to her. She hesitates when the others didn't because she is not ready.

Jeri averts her eyes. Rika raises a hand up and touches her cheek. Jeri looks at Rika, and reaches up her own hand to clasp Rika's.

The redhead slightly shakes her head and says, "I don't want to, Jeri… I'm not ready."

They stand a moment staring into each other's eyes. Jeri nods her head finally.

"I… still don't know, Rika. I… I need more time."

Rika lowers her hand. They stand a foot or so apart on the wooden dock and hold hands for a second. Rika nods her head. "Okay… okay. No matter what you decide, I'll understand and I'll be waiting for you. Take your time, Jeri."

Jeri nods but tears well up in her eyes. Rika takes a long, final look into the brown of them.

"Goodbye Jeri."

"Goodbye Rika."

They let go and Rika steps past her, away from the boats. She walks to the end of the dock.

* * *

Rika steps off the dock and onto the verdant green grass. When she turns back to look at her friend, she is gone. The boat is gone. The dock is gone. The river is gone. The ever expanding cosmos is gone. She stands alone upon some billowing clouds. The black of space has been replaced with the light blue twilight of a rising sun. She is alone and Jeri is gone. An immense guilt builds inside and sadness sweeps over her. A voice speaks from behind her.

"There's my Dream Girl."

Rika swiftly turns on spot. Standing a few feet away is her Goggle Head. He stands with the sun at his back. He wears a white dress shirt and dark red tie. His shirt has a hole in the chest and is soaked in dried blood, right where he had been stabbed by Reapermon earlier. He extends his arms out wide.

Joy overcomes all of her sadness. She runs at him, leaps into his arms, and shouts, "Takato!"

He holds her up for a moment, then lightly drops her down. Her hand reaches up and cups his cheek. She pulls his face towards hers and their mouths meet in a passionate kiss. Her free hand clasp his back and pulls him closer. He wraps both his hands around her waist. She feels energy rush through her. The kiss breathes new life into her and she feels his love surging through her.

After a long few moments, but far too short for either one, they break for air. Rika draws hushed breaths and then pulls him into a hug. She rests her head against his chest and again listens to his heart beat.

_Bump bump_

_Bump bump_

He kisses the top of her head and holds her tight. She notices for the first time a tiny light shines through his shirt, right below the neck. His crest of Miracles is illuminated. She reaches a hand up and touches it. It's warm to touch, and vibrates slightly.

He whispers a question, "You ready?"

She stays against his side, holding him to be sure he is real, and replies, "For what?"

"I have so much to show you."

He detaches from her embrace, reaches a hand down, and takes her hand-in-hand. He leads her through the clouds for a little bit then comes suddenly to a stop right on the edge of them.

"Look!" He says, pointing across the sky.

Rika comes to a stop and then follows his finger. Atop some clouds across the way there are some steps made of still more clouds. They reach up into the sky high, but Rika can see a golden gate extending into the sky at the end of the steps.

However, Rika's eyes are drawn down. At the foot of the steps, a teenage boy with spiky brown hair stands waiting. He does not see them, does not acknowledge them. Out of nowhere a blue haired adult man appears and approaches the boy. They embrace upon meeting and Rika chokes up.

"You did it, Rika. _You_ did it. You saved all of us and defeated The Shadow, and now they're free because of you. You gave that to them."

"No, they did it. We did it. We all did it." She says, holding his hand tightly.

He smiles at her and they look into one another's eyes. All around her the clouds transform and change. She is transported. They are on firm ground now, the sun high above. Still holding hands, Rika looks away from his eyes and takes in her new surroundings.

They stand on a beach, a picture perfect day. The hairs on the back of her neck don't stand up. There is no water drip behind her. No wind howls. No sand whips her. No lightning cracks above her. The water ebbs and flows. Like the wave, she has crashed. She has returned to the ocean.

They step forward until they are ankle deep in the water. It splashes against them over and over again. A smile spreads across her face as the warmth of the sun and the sand hit her. She looks up at Takato, and he happily stares out across the water.

He catches her looking at him and turns to her with a sly smile. He gives her a nudge with his elbow but doesn't say anything. She giggles at this and nudges him back as they hold hands and stare out at the water.

"You know what I love most about you?" He asks her.

She looks sideways at him again, but doesn't say anything. She playfully narrows her eyes at him and waits for him to go on. He looks away and out at the vast expanse of the ocean, "It's not your breathtaking beauty. It's not your incredible skill at a game we both play. It's not that you go to a fancier school or are smarter than me."

She blushes a bit at his compliments. His voice is full of life. He is giddy to tell her the things he loves about her. His earnest excitement makes it all the more meaningful to her. She waits for him to go on. He pauses longer to draw out the suspense and leave her waiting just a moment longer. His almond eyes turn back to her. His head turns back to her.

"It's your fire."

Rika looks away. She doesn't want to give him the satisfaction of seeing her blush. Just like that tunnel a year and a half ago, she looks away and he faces forward.

"It's your belief in yourself. You inspire me with it, every day. It's resolute. It's absolute. You are strong of will, strong of character, you have a passion that other people can't even dream of matching."

Perhaps the sun grows brighter, because her cheeks certainly feel hotter.

He goes on, "I don't know if I'll always have you in my life, but I know that every day you are with me is a blessing. I want you to know that I am thankful for every day that I have with you. I have learned so much from you."

"Takato, stop, I get it." She says, smacking him in the shoulder.

"You saved all of us with your fire. You didn't need me or anyone else to save you. You're your own savior."

Holding her breath, slowly she says, "I don't need you to save me. But will you just stay with me?"

He smiles warmly and envelopes her in his arms. Takato's words charm her. But she can only think that she didn't save everyone.

_'Kazu is gone. Henry's dad is gone. Jeri may be gone.'_

The sound of the ocean stops. The warmth of the sun fades. The feeling of the sand hardens. She feels it all transformed again. She opens her eyes, still in his arms, in a familiar place.

They stand now in the Shinjuku Central Park. The sun is setting, casting it's golden hue all around them. The autumn leaves scattered all about the ground like stars in the deep of space.

"Come on," he says, separating their hug apart and leading her again by the hand.

They walk through the park, but Rika feels like she's still on the dock. Takato can see something is troubling her. He asks her, "What's on your mind?"

"I'm scared of what Jeri will decide."

"So you're afraid that she'll move on?"

"I guess? And maybe that's right. Maybe Mr. Wong and Kazu are right. Maybe it's my time to move on too. What's even the point of going back? What more can I do for the world?"

Takato shakes his head, "You haven't learned yet, have you Rika?"

They walk side-by-side, hand-in-hand through the park. Rika's hair falls down her shoulders, the ember locks partially blocking her view of him. He smiles knowingly at her.

"The point of existing isn't to make some greater meaning. The point isn't to accomplish some massive thing," he says. "It is enough for us to just be. It is enough for us to just live."

"Our world may be just a pale blue dot in the universe," he comes to a stop and stands before her. He takes both of her hands in his. "But the universe was made just to be seen by your eyes."

Rika realizes where they are now. She looks at the large oak tree. She sees the letters "D + E" inscribed within a heart on it. She releases his hands and steps away. She slowly turns and looks all around her. The soft, red-orange sunlight breaking just above the treeline. The way the shadows extend on the ground towards them. The pavement and grass, covered in all the colors of Autumn.

She turns and he is standing in awe of her. She asks him, "Is this real, or is this a dream?"

He smirks at this, puts his hands on his hips and quips, "Hmm. You know, I thought that about you once. 'Is she real? Was it a dream?' But even if this is a dream, that doesn't make it any less real."

Rika smirks back at him. She turns back to the sunset. The sun breaks through the skyline. It blinds her view, so Rika brings her hand up above her head to block it out. She looks through the gaps in her fingers at the golden beams, which erupt from the outline.

She brings her hand down and turns to Takato, but he is gone. Quickly behind her now, the sun sets and she is alone in the park. Swiftly all of the lights go out, the shadows reach for her, and she is shrouded in darkness.

Rika floats in the darkness. At first she is uncomfortable. Being alone is hard after all of this time with others. She needs people like Takato and Jeri. She has needed people in her life to make it this far.

_'I did not come this far to only come_ this _far.'_

Her body relaxes. The stress leaves her. The darkness is not her enemy. _'Us… and our shadows.'_ Being in this darkness, she is just as whole as when she is in the light. She is enough, all by herself. _'It is enough for us to just be.'_ Rika hears something in the distance.

_Bump…_

_Bump…_

She hears it. It grows closer. She feels the darkness envelope her. It's right up against her ear now.

_Bump… Bump…_

_Bump… Bump…_

She hears Takato's heart beating. She feels him in the darkness too. So she stays in the darkness with him.

_Bump bump_

_Bump bump_

Rika opens her eyes. It is dimly lit but she stares up at a white ceiling. Pressed against her body is her stupid Gogglehead. Her head rests on his chest, but she otherwise lays comfortably in the bed. He, on the other hand, appears to have squeezed himself into the bed in the little space that was available.

She can barely lift her head because her neck feels so stiff. She notices bandages on her arms and legs. There are all sorts of machines stationed next to her bed, right by her head. She searches for a clock and finds an analog one in the room. It reads 3:41 AM. Rika feels beaten and weak. Realization settles upon her that she is in a hospital.

She rolls her head ever so slightly to look out a window. There is no fog to cloud her view. Only the vague light of the moon and darkness of night. She looks back at the sleeping boy beside her.

She knows that her body is damaged. She knows she must recover from the battle. She knows she is in great pain. But laying beside him brings a smile to her face. She closes her eyes and settles back in to return to sleep.

They lay together for a moment. They lay together for as long as they need.

* * *

A few hours later Rika awoke again. Takato was still there, along with her mother and GrandMa. There were many tears shed by the older women to find the young girl alive and functioning. Rika had been unconscious for over twenty-four hours, and it was now Monday, the 21st of September. Rika learned very quickly that Jeri was in a 'minimally conscious state,' or rather catatnoic, on the same floor of the hospital. To Rika, it sounds like she's in a coma. To Rika, it sounds like she is still on the dock.

Yamaki eventually came by later that day to personally check on her. He explained that the Shinjuku Central Park took massive ecological damage, and various city blocks of Shinjuku near the park had been decimated. Apart from Hypnos and a few offices downtown, however, there was little impact on the city. He shares that Kazu has passed, but they now have a body to bury for the Shiota family. Yamaki also explained that his professional career is effectively over now, as it was almost instantaneous that Digimon were blamed for the damage and his covert work was exposed. He had lost his best friend, his life's work, and his entire career. The Shadow hadn't succeeded in _killing_ him, but the day still extracted a heavy toll.

By the afternoon of the 21st, Rika feels strong and healthy. Rumiko, Seiko, and the doctors all choose to hold her for another 2-3 days to monitor her symptoms and ensure there are no setbacks. They have no Earthly explanation for the damage she took from her fight, nor can they explain how she recovered so quickly.

Rika asks to go visit Jeri, but her request is denied by the doctors and nurses. Henry, Ryo, and Kenta all visit together on the afternoon of Tuesday, the 22nd. They recount her heroics both as the Maid Mode digivolution, as well as trapping and destroying The Shadow in her crest of Fate. Rika is quick to point out they would have lost if not for Kenta and Ryo opening the portal and bringing in reinforcements. Ryo happily points out that surrendering Justimon's power to her was another turning point in the fight. There are many laughs which mask the trauma of nearly dying.

Before leaving, Rika asks Henry to stay. She does her best to explain what happened in her unconscious state. She also admits it may have just been a dream. Henry cries and she holds him for a long time, his tears, his pain, spilling out into her hospital gown.

Takato comes every day, as do Seiko and Rumiko. Takato's parents come on Tuesday afternoon as well. They are all in high spirits that Rika should be able to leave by Wednesday afternoon. They plan a joint family dinner for that weekend to celebrate her return home and as a celebration of life. Rika insists that the Wong family be invited as well. There is no disagreement.

On the morning of September 23rd, Rika's persistence finally pays off. She finally badgers the nurses and hospital staff to the point that they allow her to visit with her friend on the same floor. She leaves her hospital room for the first time and walks down the hallway to room 414. As she passes a main nurse's desk, she overhears them talking about it being the first official day of Fall and general excitement for Halloween and 'sweater weather.'

She comes to a stop at the door and looks inside. Jeri sits alone in the dark, just the rising daylight giving light to the room. She is afraid to be here, but she can not abandon her friend. She enters.

There is evidence all about the room that she has had visitors. Get well cards, balloons, the works. Her family must be greatly concerned. She knows Takato and the others have also come and sat with her a while over the last few days. Now it is Rika's turn to stand watch. She crosses the room, and sits in a chair by the window.

She stares at the brown hair and shut eyes. The slow and steady breathing. Watches as her chest rises and falls in slow, shallow movements. Rika worries. Every breath could be her last. The girl has endured so much. Kazu and Mr. Wong had decided that it was too much. She could never fault Jeri if she agreed with this outcome.

Once upon a time, while sipping tea on the couches in her living room and watching the rain fall, they had made a promise. They had promised to stick with each other.

_'So if this is how it ends, then I'm going to be here with her until the very end.'_

Rika peels her eyes off of the rhythmic breathing and looks outside instead. The morning light cast the fall season into a subtle glory. It was beautiful in its own way. The first batch of leaves laid upon the ground beneath the trees. Rika tries to marvel at it, but her mind wanders back to Jeri and how she got here.

The Shadow had told Rika, as their armies battled in the park and around the city, 'It's going to take you years to recover from all of the damage.' As Rika thought about the world that awaited her outside of this hospital, she no longer felt that he meant the damage to the city.

It was truly difficult to quantify the damage to her friends, to their families, and to herself. She had absorbed him and all of her own light. The Shadow now courses through her. Absentmindedly she looks down at the veins in her wrist and traces a finger up and down one.

_'"You can not separate from your shadow, Rika."'_

_'Our light and our shadows are real. They live within us. We are fully capable of both. Sometimes the light wins. And sometimes… our shadows win.'_

Rika reflects on the last few days, weeks, months, and years. The more things changed, the more they stayed the same. Takato has gone on a journey of recovery and self-acceptance after Kazu's death. Rika had let her fire be extinguished trying to keep his candle in the abyss lit. They're friendships with the group had been strained. They had all lost a part of themselves and found it again.

It had all started when Takato called Jeri and asked him to meet her in the park. She left him alone there and by some higher power, chance coincidence, he wound up at her Rika's doorstep. Brick by brick they built their friendship, relationship, and love. Now, at the close, about a year later, it ended in that same park. This time Rika was there, and so was everyone else. Now, Takato wouldn't leave Jeri behind. Now, Rika wouldn't leave Jeri behind. Almost as if something kept all of them together.

_'It's like we were Fated from the start.'_

"I'm right here, Rika."

The voice startles Rika out of her contemplation. She sits upright quickly and looks around. Laying in the bed beside her, brown eyes look up at the lilac ones above.

_'"I'm right here, Rika."'_

The memory warms her heart.

"Relax and save your energy," Rika smiles at her. Jeri attempts the best smile she can muster in return. "I'm glad you decided to stay."

Jeri nods her head, then closes her eyes again to rest. Rika turns back to look out the window.

She thinks back to the Autumn leaves, as they start to fall from their trees. When the next season comes and autumn ends, Rika used to believe this was a death of sorts. Today, she knew it was not a death, but the next season.

A new beginning.

The next great adventure.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: This Chapter's OST is "Obstacles" by Syd Matters. The story of "Autumn Ends" is effectively over, but there is an Epilogue to follow. Please stick around to read that as well :)
> 
> Love always. Rukato forever.
> 
> Notorious


	18. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rika walks through the park. The autumn leaves fall and remind her of something.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Part of the journey is the end. Love and be loved. Read… and review!

**Epilogue**

The leaves in Autumn are beautiful, with their colors.

It's something wonderful; knowing every year they will come, without fail. No passing of time, no changing of years stops them from coming. Every single year they are beautiful. The colors are beautiful. The memories are beautiful. The reminder is beautiful. Most of all, the leaves in Autumn are beautiful.

A small red haired girl runs towards a park bench. She stops a few feet away and looks directly at the girl sitting at it. _'It is not polite to stare.'_ Her mother's words come to mind but she can not help herself. She had not stopped to observe this lady in the longest time. She looks on for too long. The older woman turns her attention away from a tree and looks directly at her. Her lips curve and she speaks.

"Hello there, little one!"

The 'little one' feels paralyzed and her mouth opens. She lets out a yelp as she turns and breaks the eye contact. She starts running away, as fast as she came. As she starts, though, something shining on the ground catches her eye a few feet away and she redirects towards it.

Chuckling to herself, the older woman watches the little girl wander off in a hurry. She watches with amusement as the child is distracted by shiny objects on the ground. She briefly wonders about how far the 'little one' has wandered from her mother. She wonders about the dangers of being a child in this world. Although, she knows all too well what it was like to run off into these woods, all alone.

_'Here in the forest, dark and deep.'_

Rika Matsuki sits on a bench in the Shinjuku Central Park. This spot became a favorite of hers almost a lifetime ago. She doesn't quite recall anymore when it was, but it happened amidst all of her adventuring with her friends. It stands not quite halfway between her childhood home and where the bakery used to stand, but it's almost. The large oak tree above her has a heart carved into it with the letters "D + E" marked right in the center of it. Directly under that the letters "+ JJ" were also carved some many years ago. This tree had somehow survived dozens of years and never toppled or been torn down. Enduring, forever onward, in the face of time.

It's hard to discern it when the shadows hit it at the wrong angle, but Rika has always seen it clearly all the same. She liked to imagine that D + E eventually had a child named "JJ," but it's difficult for her to say. The tree has lost most of its leaves at this point. Nonetheless, it stands tall and proud, unfazed by the changing season that approaches. Rika hopes she can be like the tree.

_'About time to get going. Don't want to be late.'_

Rika stands up. She surveys all around her. The fading light breaking through the trees, the birds chirping all around. She tugs her coat a little closer. She wears a beige trench coat, white button down shirt, grey sweater, tight dark jeans, and black boots. She wants to look nice for lunch in the park, but doesn't see the point of sacrificing her own comfort for that.

As she moves forward, the little girl with her own head of red hair, cautiously steps ahead of her. The 'little one' peeks over her shoulder, sees the older woman towering over her, and hurriedly moves ahead. Rika steps are slow and deliberate. She keeps a watchful eye on the little girl, not letting her escape her line of sight.

The tiny human gets further and further ahead of Rika, but Rika's pace does not change. She finds the slow trot to be more enjoyable. She looks around more and takes in the sights of the setting sun. She notices some florals and foliage growing along the sidewalk and thinks that it is basking in the shadows after a long day of following the sun.

She has spent many years cultivating gardens and plantlife. Her grandmother had imparted much wisdom to her about the Nonaka Instinct. How it can all come back. _'"But you have to want it."'_ That is what her GrandMa had taught her. That is how Seiko's legacy carries on.

Rika walks on and breathes in the fall air. The little girl has just about reached her destination, but nothing changes for Rika. Each step is deliberate, full of concentration and reflection. Autumn is in full bloom, and winter approaches. She is at peace amongst the beauty of mother nature. The last four years have been a whirlwind. So much has changed.

_'Gosh, it feels like a thousand years ago. I pulled Takato out of that rainstorm, opened myself to change, and realized I loved him.'_

She passes a stairwell that leads up to an abandoned, gated, small building. She does not break stride, but smiles at the memory. She thinks about the adventures and the fun. The important lessons she learned about and from her friends. It doesn't matter to her how it all ended, just that it happened in the first place.

The sun breaks through the skyline. It blinds her view, so Rika brings her hand up above her head to block it out. She looks through the gaps in her fingers at the golden beams, which erupt from the outline.

Rika's eyes move to the pavement. The walkway bathes in an orange-golden hue. It's a saturated brightness to her. It doesn't hurt her eyes but she can't look at it either so she looks down instead. Everything in front of her, as far as she can see, is pale ember flame laid bare across the land. Rika learned long ago to appreciate this moment. _'Take it all in.'_ Rika is right here, right now. There is nothing in her life like this moment.

Through the golden light, a shadow approaches her. She looks up and it looms larger and larger. The sun blinds her again and she once more raises her hand to block it out. Even as such she welcomes the shadow. It speaks to her first.

"Hey there, GrandMa. You ready for this?"

"I had a light breakfast so I'd come hungry."

"For someone who came hungry you sure took your sweet, old time," the younger, brunette woman says as she comes to a stop in front of her. "I saw you walking, waiting for the leaves to fall."

Rika does not respond, but instead uses another moment to herself, pushing the glasses further up the bridge of her nose. They had met at the outdoor water fountain. It was a good meeting spot for the picnic. The water spurts several feet above their heads, with a large step up to prevent children from running right into it.

She takes in the kingdom of light all around her. There are people all over the park. Rarely is it ever empty, and on a beautiful early November day like today, it is perfect for some outdoor Autumn festivities. It is blazing and bright and alive. It's picturesque and she wants to take this moment and put it away, fold it in on itself over and over again until it's so small it fits in her pocket and she can take it everywhere with her.

She looks back at the middle age mother standing in front of her. She smiles at her, at the very sight of her, really, and she smiles back.

"It's good to see you again, Sakura."

"Good to see you too, Mom. Did you see Haruko? She's so big already."

They turn and begin walking side by side, the 7 year old child is a few steps ahead of them, playing with some leaves on the ground. Rika tugs at her coat and replies, "I sure did. She didn't even say anything to me. Just started leading the way. She truly is Akiko's daughter."

Out from behind that tree that Haruko is playing by, a teenage girl bounces towards them. Her red hair flowing perfectly, her natural beauty is undeniable, "GrandMa!"

She collides into Rika and hugs her tight. Rika holds the young one tightly, "Oh Rumiko! I've missed you!"

"I missed you too. I can't wait to tell you about my latest tournament."

"And I can't wait to hear about it!"

Rika Matsuki had always been beautiful, but her granddaughter truly lived up to her namesake. She had the ethereal beauty of Rika's mother, with all of Rika's interests in Digimon. A deadly combination befitting the royal bloodline of the legendary Digimon Queen.

The group comes to a stop at a collection of wooden tables, and an even larger collection of humans. Rika stands as the Matriarch of the family sprawled out before them. She stands a moment proud and smiling. She turns to her daughter and granddaughters and says, "Go on, I want to take a picture!"

The three others step away and Rika carefully pulls out her phone. She flips on the camera and holds it up. Her hands shake slightly as she clicks the button and captures the moment forever. She puts the camera down and looks out across generations of Matsuki's and in-laws.

Takato is dead.

No, this time there will be no dramatic act of him coming back from the dead through fate or miracles or light and kindness or darkness and balancing all of her negatives with the good of life.

There is no great evil that Rika is fighting. She is 79 years young, and he died 4 years ago right around this time of the year. He left her behind and went along on his next great adventure. He also left behind 4 children and a slew of grandchildren.

_'And soon to be great grandchildren, I should imagine.'_

They did not marry young. As Rika grew older and more self-aware, she feared repeating her mother's faults in marriage. Takato waited for her. He loved her for who she was and never wavered in that.

They did not stay together their entire lives. When they left high school and went to university, they found themselves drifting apart and experiencing new things. Rika and Jeri grew closer together, strengthening their bond, making them lifelong friends to this very day. It was about a year apart from Takato, and neither was devastated by the separation. Yet they still found their way back to each other.

_'There was always something bringing us back together. Like some… invisible string that kept us together, even when we were apart.'_

Rika stands and breathes deeply. She reflects on a lifetime of memories, shared with Takato, shared with Jeri, with their friends, with their loved ones. With their children and their children's children. They had more adventures with Renamon and Guilmon, but none shaped them as much as the two years from when they met their partners to The Burning of Central Park. Those following adventures were grand and dangerous, but they are stories for another day.

Rika is getting older now. The winters are longer. The days are shorter. She does not have much more time before she joins Takato on the next great adventure into the unknown.

She looks up and is partially blinded by the sun. It's very bright, and her eyes are not long for it. She drops her eyes and looks around at her family, spread out before her. On her peripheral, she watches a single leaf drop. It dances through the Fall sky, drifting so slow. It lands amongst a pile of green, brown, red, and gold. Leaves of every color.

Takato lives on in her memory and in the tales she tells. She will say his name no less than a hundred times at this family picnic, making sure that others know and remember him as well. As long as she talks about him, he will be remembered.

Although he may be gone, she knows he is waiting for her at the dock. She knows her "stupid gogglehead" will be waiting to take her on a walk, much like her stroll through the park today, and talk to her about what she has missed, and all that they will do next. In the meantime, she lives on for him, in his memory.

_'But every Autumn, the leaves change colors and fall down to remind me of my love.'_

_'Of our love.'_

_'Of our story.'_

_'Every year, the autumn leaves remind me of us.'_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: First and foremost, I want to share some thank yous. First, to my wife, who I met after starting Autumn Leaves many years ago and who has supported me through everything, including indulging me for a year as I wrote this fic.
> 
> Second, to Crazyeight, who is an inspiration of the highest order in the Rukato community. When I disappeared for years, he kept going and I respect and admire that so much.
> 
> Next, to Jenny Cakes, who pushed me to be the most unashamed version of myself. To write fic and be proud of that and to tell people I write fic and not worry about what they thought of me. I don't know if this story gets written without you pushing me to embrace myself.
> 
> To LW_19, who didn't even know what Autumn Ends was about but put up with 6 months of text messages at inhuman hours and laughed with me and who helped me. Thank you for lending your ear and for caring about me & my story.
> 
> To Angel-Chan, who was the ever patient first reader & editor of Autumn Ends. You know how much you and your stories mean to me. It meant that much more to me to share this story with you first and get your feedback, and help infuse your brilliant mind into this story. I tried my best to make this story as a spiritual successor to Fated, and I hope I made you proud.
> 
> Finally, to the readers. I hope this story was enthralling and exciting. I hope it inspires you the way Fated and Songs of the Setting Sun inspired me. I hope you take this and run forever with it. I hope you love always.
> 
> As for the author's notes about this epilogue? Probably a little surprising to jump all the way to the end of Rika's life. But this is how I wanted my story to end. Rika, who starts as a loner, with a small family, and absolutely independent, now stands at the end of her life and looks upon her entire extended family and basks in the memories with all of the people she has loved & leaned on at times. I left breadcrumbs for other stories to tell (More adventures with Renamon & Guilmon? The card game still exists 64 years later? The various ages of her children & grandchildren? Takato still had the Crest of Miracles? The Shadows powers live on in Rika? Our couple broke up in college? Beelzemon mentions a prophecy, which Jeri is a part of somehow? And, my personal favorite, why, when Rika saw so many dead people, did she never see her Father?), but I have no intentions of telling those stories. This is my last major work in my Autumn Leaves/ Promise/ Autumn Ends universe so I wanted the epilogue to be a real ending, conclusive and final. Finally, this chapter's OST is "Begin Again" by Taylor Swift.
> 
> Love always. Rukato forever.
> 
> Notorious


End file.
